Drama returned to the Asia Cup stage as ACC president Mohsin Naqvi handed the U19 trophy to Pakistan and celebrated with them, leaving India to collect medals off-stage.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Mohsin Naqvi was once again the centre of attention on Sunday (December 21), as he not only handed the Under-19 Asia Cup trophy to his compatriot winners, Pakistan, but also celebrated with them. The runners-up, India, didn’t even take the stage after the final and collected their medals from Mubashshir Usmani, an Associate Member Director at the International Cricket Council (ICC), near the podium.

This comes after the drama that unfolded in the senior men’s Asia Cup earlier this year, which saw the same finalists.

India won that day and reportedly declined to accept the winner’s trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as both the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and an interior minister of Pakistan. This action by India was viewed as a political statement influenced by geopolitical tensions and Naqvi’s anti-India social media activity during the tournament.

The trophy presentation ceremony was delayed by over an hour due to the situation before Naqvi, refusing to allow any other official hand it over to the winners, eventually left the ground. He is said to have taken the trophy to the ACC headquarters, which angered the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who took the matter up at the ACC and even ICC levels. But India are yet to get the trophy.

While a Pakistan win was always expected to make things smoother, it’s rare to see an organisation’s chairman celebrate with a team behind the ‘Champions’ board.

India were comprehensively outplayed by Pakistan in the final, which was held in the ODI format, unlike the senior tournament. The Boys in Blue slumped to a 191-run defeat in what was a one-sided contest.

Powered by a sensational 172 from Sameer Minhas, Pakistan piled up a daunting 347 for eight before their pace trio ripped through India’s batting to bowl them out for 156 in just 26.2 overs. Ali Reza, Mohammad Sayyam, and Abdul Subhan exploited pace and bounce relentlessly, turning the chase into a procession.

India briefly threatened after a rapid start, racing to 49 for one inside five overs, but the innings unraveled in the space of two balls with the quick dismissals of Aaron George and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. From there, Pakistan’s pacers dominated to help the team clinch their second U19 Asia Cup title.

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News cricket Drama! Mohsin Naqvi Hands U19 Asia Cup, Celebrates With Pakistan As Indians Left...

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