India accused of ‘disrespecting cricket’ after Asia Cup trophy debacle
India team refuse to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi after beating Pakistan by five wickets
Pakistan captain Salman Agha said India had “disrespected cricket”, and Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav complained his side were denied the trophy after winning a fraught Asia Cup overshadowed by ill feeling on both sides.
The two teams did not shake hands for the third Asia Cup match running as India won a thrilling final by five wickets in Dubai on Sunday.
Suryakumar’s men then refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), who is also chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s interior minister.
The Indian players instead celebrated retaining their regional crown by mimicking holding a trophy.
“I think this is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing cricket, that the champion team is denied the trophy,” Suryakumar said. “We took the call on the ground about not taking the trophy.”
The T20 tournament in the UAE was the first time the Asian cricket giants had met since a deadly military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May.