 "The Indian team refused to take the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. Image: Reuters")
India defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets to win their ninth Asia Cup title in Dubai on Sunday, September 28. However, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side were forced to celebrate without the winners’ trophy as Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chief of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), reportedly took away the trophy after the Indian team refused to share the stage with him .
The post-match presentation saw a delayed start and was marred by confusion, with the Pakistan team arriving late to collect their runners-up medals. When India’s turn came, the players refused to take the trophy from Naqvi, and the ACC eventually announced that India would not be collecting it at all that night. The Indian team reportedly waited for an hour before leaving for the team hotel empty-handed.
Mohammad Kaif reacts to Asia Cup drama
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has now expressed deep disappointment over the controversy. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said that the Indian team deserved to celebrate with the trophy after their hard-earned victory.
“What hurts is that the Indian team deserved that trophy moment, they earned the right to celebrate and pose for photos with it after all their hard work, especially after Tilak Varma’s remarkable unbeaten innings that won the final. With captain Suryakumar Yadav leading this young team, these moments become lifelong memories for all, the kind that inspire young players to aspire for India, just like seeing the 1983 World Cup trophy did for us. It’s very sad the players were denied that on the field, though the trophy will come to them later,” Kaif said.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav also addressed the controversy in the post-match press conference, where he said that he has never seen a champion team being denied the trophy. He further added that his teammates and support staff are his real trophies, and they would still celebrate the victory no matter what.