The BCCI is optimistic that the Asia Cup winners trophy would arrive “within a day or two” at its Mumbai headquarters; nevertheless, if the deadlock persists, the Indian Board will bring up the issue before the ICC on November 4.
India won the Asia Cup by defeating bitter rivals Pakistan by five wickets in the final in Dubai, but refused to take the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s interior minister and head of the ACC and PCB.
This came after Suryakymar Yadav, the captain of India, declined to shake hands with his counterpart from Pakistan because of the rivalry between the two countries.
Naqvi has previously indicated that India may receive the award, but he will give it and the BCCI is still awaiting the formal transfer of the trophy more than a month after the victory.
“Yes, we are a little bit unhappy with the way the trophy has not been being given to us even after a month,” BCCI joint secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI Video in an exclusive interaction.
“We are pursuing this matter, about 10 days ago also we wrote a letter to the chairman of ACC, but there is no change in their stand.
“They are still keeping the trophy under their custody but we hope that the trophy will reach us in a day or two at the BCCI office in Mumbai.”
According to Saikia, the BCCI will bring up the matter at the next ICC quarterly meeting in Dubai on November 4 if the trophy is not given out promptly.
In a first for a cricket field, the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team celebrated their victory without the trophy after the presentation in Dubai was postponed by more than an hour before the silverware was removed from the field without any explanation.
Naqvi has reportedly remained unwavering despite the BCCI’s official request for its return, advising Indian players to pick it up in person at a future event as there hasn’t been a formal resolution yet.
“On behalf of BCCI we are fully prepared how to deal with the matter and I can assure the people of India that the trophy will come back to India, only the timeline is not fixed. One day it will come,” Saikia said.
“We have won all matches against Pakistan and won the trophy. We have won the championship. Everything is on record. Only the trophy is missing. I hope good sense will prevail.
