A heated exchange occurred during an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting, where BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla confronted ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi regarding the Asia Cup trophy presentation. The meeting followed the final match of the Asia Cup, where India defeated Pakistan, leading to a dispute over the trophy handover.
Naqvi initiated the discussion by expressing his dissatisfaction with the behavior of Indian players, claiming they ignored him while he was holding the trophy. He described feeling like a ‘cartoon’ as he waited, and accused the players of being engrossed in their phones and video games. He declared he wouldn’t personally present the trophy, suggesting India’s captain collect it from Dubai.
Rajiv Shukla responded sharply, questioning Naqvi’s expectations given his dual roles and controversial statements. Shukla pointed out that Naqvi’s actions mixed cricket and politics, referencing his position and previous social media activity. Shukla emphasized the need for prior communication with the BCCI regarding the trophy presentation.
Shukla clarified that the Indian captain would not travel to Dubai. He suggested that Naqvi send the trophy to the ICC or ACC, allowing India to collect it from there.
Following Shukla’s strong words, Naqvi acknowledged his mistake, apologized, and agreed to send the trophy to the ICC. Shukla accepted the apology and expressed satisfaction with the resolution. The initial conflict arose when the Indian team declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi after their victory in the Asia Cup final. It was decided that the trophy would be sent to India.