Asia Cup post match presentation. (Image: AFP)
A day after leading his team to a thrilling Asia Cup win over Pakistan, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav cleared the air on the bizarre scenes that played out after the game in Dubai.
The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final turned out to be a thriller, with India sealing a five-wicket victory in the final over. After Rinku Singh hit the winning runs for India, all believed it was the end of a dramatic Asia Cup, but there was more to follow.
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The drama began to unfold when India refused to take the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and is also Pakistan's interior minister.
Naqvi, however, remained adamant that he would give the trophy to the winners, and while initially it was reported that Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni would do the honours, Naqvi made a mockery of himself after he left with the Asia Cup, and the Indian team had to celebrate the win without the trophy.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav opened up on the post-match presentation theatrics and said his team didn't make anyone wait for the presentation.
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"We didn’t close the door and sit inside the dressing room. We didn’t make anyone wait for the presentation ceremony. Trophy leke bhaag gaye woh (They ran away with the trophy). That’s what I saw. I don’t know, some people were making a video of us, but we were standing. We didn’t go inside," Suryakumar Yadav told the Indian Express.
Yadav also revealed that the team was not pressurised by the government or the BCCI to not take the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, saying that it was the stance of the Indian cricket team.
"First of all, let me make it clear, no one from the Government or the BCCI told us anything throughout the tournament that if someone gives a trophy, we won’t take it. We took that decision on our own on the ground. They (ACC officials) were standing there on the stage and we were standing below. I saw them talking on stage and I don’t know the details of their chat. Some in the crowd started booing. And then we saw someone who was their representative taking the trophy and running away," he said.
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Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has also stated that the Indian cricket board will be filing a complaint against Naqvi's actions for taking away the trophy. |
