Former Indian cricketer
The Indian players were notably absent during the post-match presentation ceremony, choosing not to return to the field to receive the silverware from Naqvi, who also serves as the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan's Interior Minister. This development has sparked debate, with the 1983 World Cup winner suggesting that such actions warrant a re-evaluation of India's participation in tournaments involving Pakistan.
Controversy Over Trophy Presentation Protocol
Madan Lal expressed his frustration regarding the team's conduct, stating that if such behavior is to persist, the board should consider avoiding fixtures against Pakistan. He acknowledged that the decision likely originated from the board level, yet he remained critical of the optics surrounding the event. This marks the second consecutive year that an Indian team has declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from the current ACC chairman.
The situation mirrors a similar event from last year, when the Indian men's team, then led by Rohit Sharma, also refused to accept the trophy and medals from Naqvi following their tournament victory. As a result of that earlier decision, the men's team celebrated on the presentation dais without the physical trophy, which has remained at the ACC offices. In contrast to the Indian squad's stance on Sunday, the Sri Lankan players and their support staff participated in the ceremony, accepting their runners-up awards and medals from Sri Lanka Cricket interim chief Eran Wikramaratne before Naqvi departed the stadium.
