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BCCI confirms ‘ICC’s involvement in negotiation' as Asia Cup trophy deadlock ends with Mohsin Naqvi: ‘Issue will be…’
BCCI confirms that a senior official from the ICC is involved in the negotiations with BCCI and Mohsin Naqvi over the Asia Cup trophy matter.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Devajit Saikia, confirmed that a senior official from the ICC is indeed involved in the negotiation process between the Indian body and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, regarding the matter of the Asia Cup trophy. The Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side did not receive the silverware after winning the eight-team competition, as they refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Pakistan's Interior Minister then got the title locked in the office of the ACC headquarters, instructing the other members not to let the trophy out of their sight. Considering Naqvi's insistence on wanting to give the title himself, a power struggle ensued between him and the BCCI, culminating in the matter at the ICC meeting.
On the sidelines of the ICC meeting, Saikia spoke to Naqvi, and according to the BCCI secretary, the talks went well and the matter will be resolved soon. However, the BCCI official denied all the rumours of an ICC committee being formed to end the Asia Cup impasse.
He said that the issue will be resolved and the trophy would be handed over to India soon, and there would be no need to take any drastic steps.
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"Although one of the senior persons from ICC is involved in the process of negotiation, there is no requirement for any such thing (a committee) at this stage. The issue will be resolved before any such drastic step is taken by the ICC," Saikia told news agency PTI.
According to PTI, ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja and CEO Sanjog Gupta initiated discussions between the BCCI and PCB.
"Definitely, in the coming times, if things go in a positive way, the issue will be sorted at the earliest," Saikia said.
India-Pakistan hostilities
India and Pakistan clashed thrice during the Asia Cup, with the former coming out on top on all three occasions. Tempers flared throughout the tournament, and it all began with the Indian camp refusing to shake hands with Pakistani players as a gesture of solidarity with the Pahalgam terror attack victims.
The players from Pakistan, namely Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, then mocked the Indian camp through offensive gestures. Suryakumar Yadav was fined 30 per cent of his match fees for “bringing the game into disrepute” for his comments after the group stage match.
Haris Rauf was fined twice for making provocative gestures and a total of four demerit points led to him being suspended for two games against South Africa.
