New Delhi, September 29 (HS): An unprecedented controversy erupted after the Asia Cup final played on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. Despite clinching the title with a five-wicket win over Pakistan, the Indian cricket team was not handed the trophy.
The players reportedly refused to receive it from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.With this victory, India secured the Asia Cup for a record ninth time. However, no trophy or medal presentation ceremony took place following the match.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed his shock. “Since the time I started playing and watching cricket, I have never seen a champion team being denied its trophy. This was the reward for our hard work and we deserved it. For me, the real trophy is the 14 players and support staff who are in that dressing room with me.”
In a special gesture, Suryakumar also announced that he would donate his entire match fees from the Asia Cup to the Indian Army. “Whatever I have earned in match fees during this tournament, I want to give it to the Indian Army,” he stated.
The drama stretched on for nearly 90 minutes after the match, as the Indian team waited for the prize distribution ceremony. When none took place, the players eventually went on stage by themselves late at night and celebrated their victory.
Laughing while recalling the bizarre situation, Suryakumar added: “We kept waiting for an hour and a half to celebrate. Even the ‘Champions’ board appeared for a while and was then taken away. I saw that too.”
During the press conference, a Pakistani journalist questioned whether India’s refusal to take the trophy was an attempt to mix politics with sport. While the media manager deflected the query, Suryakumar responded with a smile, saying, “You seem to be getting angry.”
When asked whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had informed the ACC in advance about the decision, the captain clarified: “This was a decision we took on the ground. We were not given any instructions.”
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
