Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf has come out in support of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi after the trophy controversy following the Women’s Asia Cup final.For the second successive year, an Indian team did not collect the Asia Cup trophy after winning the tournament. Harmanpreet Kaur‘s side defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final to claim a record-extending eighth title, but the players stayed in the dressing room when the presentation ceremony began.The Indian team’s decision came after it had made it clear that it would not accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is currently the ACC president as well as the PCB chairman.Naqvi had largely stayed away from the presentation area during the final, but was seen in the VIP box during the final over. The ceremony was subsequently delayed by around 45 to 50 minutes before eventually getting underway.Yousuf, however, defended Naqvi and accused India of displaying “arrogance” in a post on X on Tuesday.
Mohammad Yousuf post
“When national pride turns into arrogance, victory brings no reward. A team may win, but a nation without humility remains a loser! No trophy, only heels on heads. #MohsinNaqvi,” Yousuf wrote on X (formerly Twitter).The latest incident mirrors what happened after last year’s men’s Asia Cup. India had refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The men’s tournament was also marked by heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, with Naqvi accused of fuelling the situation through anti-India statements on social media.India’s women’s team maintained a similar stance this year. Head coach Amol Muzumdar later said the BCCI had decided against accepting the trophy from Naqvi and that the players simply followed the board’s position.A day later, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said India’s position had been communicated to Naqvi well before the final, but the ACC president still attended the presentation ceremony.Saikia and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla were both present at the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final.When the delayed presentation finally began, only Sri Lanka came out to collect their runners-up medals. Naqvi presented the runners-up cheque to Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu.After Athapaththu completed her broadcaster interview, the presentation proceedings came to an end, leaving India without the trophy despite their comprehensive victory in the final.
Leave a Reply