Mumbai, Sep 29: The BCCI will lodge a “very strong protest” in the next ICC meeting in November against Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who walked away with the Asia Cup trophy after the Indian team refused to accept it from him in Dubai.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia justified the team’s refusal saying that India cannot accept the trophy from a person who is “waging a war against the country.”
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final on Sunday with Tilak Varma hitting an unbeaten 69 to be adjudged the Player of the Match for the summit clash.
“So far as the trophy is concerned, trophy distribution, India cannot take the trophy from the person who is waging a war against our country,” Saikia said.
“We have taken a decision not to accept the trophy but that does not allow the gentleman to take away the trophy and the medals to his hotel,” he added.
“This is unexpected, very childish in nature and we will launch a very strong protest with ICC in the forthcoming ICC meeting to be held in Dubai in the first week of November.”
Naqvi is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Interior Minister of his country. Saikia praised the Indian team for their unbeaten run in the competition.
“India won all the seven matches at the group stage. India won all the three matches. Thereafter in the group of four they won the matches and finally also,” he said.
“Out of these seven matches, India won against Pakistan 3-0. So this is a big victory and (a) big time cricket achievement for the country.”
On the team’s decision to play the tournament despite massive criticism of engagement with Pakistan in the backdrop of Pahalgam terror attack, Saikia said the Board has followed the policy set by the Indian government.
“…when it is a bilateral tournament, India is not going to play against Pakistan or any other hostile country and BCCI has been doing it for last 12 to 15 years,” he said.
“And now the Government has said that in multinational tournaments — Asia Cup is a multinational tournament –, or an international tournament where a lot of other countries are also involved. In those tournaments, Indian team, whether it is cricket or football, we have to play.”
“Otherwise, our other games will suffer or the federation will be banned by international federations, so we followed the policy of the central government. We participated inspite of the fact that there are some protests or some resistance from some quarters,” he continued.
Saikia said beating Pakistan across three games of this Asia Cup will bring “happiness to our people”.
“Today, with this handsome win over Pakistan and the thumping victory of 3-0, I am sure we will bring a lot of happiness to our people. The country is really proud of the performance of Indian cricket team,” he said. (PTI)
