ACC Summit: Icebreaker Predicted After India’s Trophy Turmoil

The decision regarding the Asia Cup trophy and medallions, which were not awarded to the Indian team after their win on Sunday, has been postponed following some controversy and a brief exit, or more accurately, a logout.

During a meeting in Dubai on Tuesday (September 30), Asian Cricket Council (ACC) members decided to leave the resolution to the five Test-playing nations within the ACC. This decision followed a debate primarily between the Indian and Pakistani contingents over the trophy issue.

Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla, representing India at the ACC meeting, confronted Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who chaired the meeting. The Indian representatives demanded a resolution regarding the trophy, which was taken by the PCB chief after Indian players declined to accept it at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night.

It was then decided that the five Test-playing ACC members – India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh – would meet offline to resolve the issue. This meeting was an extension of the July 24 Dhaka AGM, which was postponed due to India’s objections. The Indian representatives joined the meeting virtually.

Representatives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), and PCB will gather to seek a solution to the trophy issue, which the BCCI has threatened to escalate to the ICC.

The meeting began with an inaugural address by Naqvi, who then congratulated Mongolia on its membership and Nepal on its series win over the West Indies. At this point, Shelar interjected, insisting that India’s Asia Cup victory also be formally acknowledged. Naqvi eventually conceded and extended congratulations to the Indian team.

Regarding the trophy issue, the Indian representatives reiterated their intention to escalate the matter to the ICC, as previously announced by the BCCI. The discussion reached a point where Shelar logged out in protest. He later rejoined the meeting online, after which it was decided that the matter would be resolved by the five full member nations.

Two other items on the agenda, the election of the vice-president and the finalization of the schedule for other ACC events such as emerging players and under-19 tournaments, were not addressed during the meeting.