The post-match presentation controversy after India's thrilling win over Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium refuses to die down.
With the Indian side, led by Suryakumar Yadav, refusing to accept the trophy from PCB chief and ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi, speculations are rife about the whereabouts of the silverware.
Dramatic visuals showed Yadav and his teammates giving Naqvi the royal ignore, after which he was seen marching off the ground with the trophy.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia slammed Naqvi for stooping to a new low, adding that he had taken the trophy and medals from the Asia Cup finale to his Dubai hotel room.
Talking to the media after the post-match controversy, Saikia said that India's stance against Pakistan has been consistent - be on filed or off field.
"We cannot accept a trophy from a person who represents a country that is waging a war against our country. So we have refused to take that trophy, but that does not mean that the gentleman will take the trophy and the medals, which are to be given to our country, to his own hotel room," the BCCI secretary was quoted as saying by ANI.
Also Read: Pakistan captain's meltdown caught on camera, throws away cheque after Asia Cup loss to India | WATCH
An Indian Express report said the immediate trigger for the Men in Blue was aggressive posturing by Naqvi on his X account.
During the tournament, he had posted a photo of star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo with a crashing plane. In the run-up to the Sunday encounter, Naqvi posted another image titled 'Finale Day,' showing pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and skipper Salman Agha dressed in flight suits, with combat jets in the background.
The crude reference to Operation Sindoor only emboldened Team India's stance, leading them to refuse the trophy from Naqvi, who also happens to be Pakistan's interior minister.
Reports suggest that Yadav had conveyed to ACC officials that the team was ready to take the official handover of the trophy from Khalid Al Zarooni, vice-chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. However, Naqvi's adamant refusal to hand over the trophy led to the unprecedented scenes.
Later, Pakistan skipper Salman Agha was seen defending Naqvi. He said, "If Naqvi is ACC chief, then he alone will give the silverware." Pouting the onus on Team India, Agha also taunted, "How will you get the trophy if you don't want to take it from him?"
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
