There is apparently going to be a sequel to last year’s Asia Cup trophy drama, and this time, it will be about the Indian women’s cricket team and once again, Mohsin Naqvi. will be at the centre stage.
The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Asian Cricket Council president is expected to attend the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai on September 13, where he is reportedly set to be the chief guest and could present the trophy to the winners.
For Indian cricket fans, the announcement comes with a rather familiar feeling of déjà vu.
Last year, India defeated Pakistan in the men’s Asia Cup final, but the celebrations ended with an extraordinary trophy presentation standoff. The Indian team did not accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. The trophy was ultimately not handed to the Indian players, leading captain Suryakumar Yadav to famously remark that “trophy leke bhaag gaye woh”, referring to Mohsin Naqvi. The Pakistan Minister is yet to give the trophy to India.
Now Naqvi is back.
And if India’s women win the title, cricket fans may be forgiven for wondering whether the post-match ceremony will once again turn into something resembling a diplomatic summit rather than a cricket presentation. Notably, Indian women absolutely demolished their Pakistani counterparts in their match.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side entered the knockout stage unbeaten, beating Thailand, Hong Kong and Pakistan in the group stage. Against Pakistan, India bowled their neighbours out for just 55 runs before chasing the target in only 8.4 overs.
Smriti Mandhana has also been in spectacular form, smashing 124 against Hong Kong and becoming the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket. So, purely from a cricketing perspective, India have plenty to focus on.
But the trophy presentation has become an entirely separate subplot.
Will the Indian women accept the silverware from Naqvi if they win? Will a neutral official be asked to present it? Or will the Asia Cup once again conclude with the bizarre spectacle of champions celebrating without the actual trophy, and Naqvi running away with the trophy? Nobody knows yet.
