Asia Cup: What will be India's stance if Mohsin Naqvi takes presentation stage as ACC chair?

 Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Interior Minister of Pakistan, will be in attendance when his country takes on India in the Asia Cup final here on Sunday and it would be interesting to see how the Indian team responds to his presence at the post-match trophy ceremony.

Naqvi is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

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Trophy Presentation and Handshake Controversy

While a Board chief coming to watch a cricket match isn't a big deal but what can snowball into a controversy is the fact that in his capacity as ACC chief, Naqvi is mandated to be present at the post-final presentation ceremony.

As the head of the continental body, he will be well within his rights to present the trophy and also engage in a customary handshake with both squads.

With the Indian team maintaining a 'No Handshake' Policy with Pakistan , it is highly unlikely that BCCI will allow its players to engage with a PCB chief whose public stance has been anti-India.

The Indian board hasn't made its stance on Naqvi public yet.

Previous Incidents and Cryptic Messages

Not only that, it was on Naqvi's insistence that the PCB accused match referee Andy Pycroft of prohibiting the exchange of pleasantries after the September 14 game here, something that summarily rejected by the ICC.

Later, it was Naqvi, who wanted India skipper Suryakumar Yadav banned from the final. PCB had Level 4 charges against him for dedicating his team's September 14 victory to his country's Armed Forces and for also showing solidarity with families of the victims of Pahalgam terror attack.

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"As of now, information is that he would come this evening and obviously as ACC chairman, he will be giving away the winner's trophy. Let's see what the BCCI decides," a tournament insider told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Naqvi has twice posted a cryptic video message on 'X' in the past few days -- a Cristiano Ronaldo goal celebration depicting a plane crash.

It's the same gesture that controversial pacer Haris Rauf made repeatedly in the September 21 game against India, leading to a fine on him.

PTI