India’s women’s cricket team refused to collect the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday after defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.   The trophy presentation was delayed by more than 30 minutes. Naqvi, who is also PCB Chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, remained on stage while Indian players stayed off the podium. The ceremony concluded “without the Indian team collecting their winners’ medals or the trophy.”  

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu did collect the runners-up cheque from Naqvi.  Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar said the “stand has been taken by the BCCI, and we stand by it.”  “For us, this tournament is over. We are the champions; that’s good enough,” he told reporters.  India’s win was powered by 68 from Shafali Verma, 59 from Smriti Mandhana, and a 4-wicket haul by Shree Charani. 

Cricket experts as well lovers deplored that India yet again brought its political hostility onto the cricket ground, turning a sporting occasion into another platform for political point scoring. They said, the India Women’s national cricket team’s refusal to accept the trophy from the tournament’s governing authority is not sportsmanship, but an ugly political move for cheap popularity among Modi Bhuggats. They urged world cricket community to take notice, because if political motives of a specific group or country are allowed to dictate sporting conduct, the credibility and dignity of international cricket will suffer.  

International cricket bodies must ensure that every participating team, irrespective of its size, influence or commercial strength, upholds the same standards of sportsmanship, the cricket lovers stressed. India may have won the match, but dragging dirty politics into the presentation ceremony has shown the ugly side of Indians. Cricket belongs to the players and the fans, not to political vendettas, they added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)