Former Pakistan cricketer Bazid Khan lashed out at the Indian cricket team for refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and the country’s Interior Minister, had reportedly shared posts on social media about Operation Sindoor that had angered the Indian team.
Eventually, with the Indian team refusing to take the trophy, Naqvi reportedly took the trophy with him.
“This is a never-ending thing. India is not shaking hands. I think if the Asia Cup is to be run this way, what message is going out to the world that you are playing the tournament. The animosity is only increasing. This has never happened before. The Indians don’t receive the cup.
WATCH: What former Pakistan stars had to say about India’s trophy snub
“You generally had an idea that something of this kind would happen. But for the Asia Cup to happen that way, the very purpose of the Asia Cup is for all Asian teams to play together. On top of that, you specifically say that if this person gives the trophy, we will not take it. And you also see that the presidency of the Asia Cup is also on rotation basis. So its basic purpose was always that Asian teams play amongst themselves and then basically compete with teams from the rest of the world. But now that purpose has been somewhat diluted. Diluted, or rather, it has ended because of the kind of things that are happening in cricket, in both teams, on the playing field, and after the match,” Bazid Khan said on the Game On Hai show.
India had defeated Pakistan for the third time in three weeks. The Men in Blue, who went through the Asia Cup unbeaten, took down Pakistan by five wickets in the final. Before that, they had defeated Pakistan in the Super 4 stage by five wickets and in a group stage game by six wickets. All three of those wins had come on successive Sundays.
“It’s a very strange situation, I don’t understand it. If only money is involved, if it’s just that the financial stakes are very high, India will play, otherwise they won’t play, won’t even shake hands, won’t even accept a greeting, and we won’t take the trophy. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”
