Asia Cup standoff nears end as ICC facilitates talks between BCCI, PCB

The Asia Cup Trophy imbroglio is close to being resolved, with officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finally breaking the ice. Following a truce mediated by ICC officials, the two boards—long at odds over the Asia Cup Trophy controversy—have come close to striking a cordial note and ending the standoff.

Devajit Saikia raised the issue of the Asia Cup Trophy, which was denied to the victorious Indian team. The ICC discussed the matter both formally and informally before facilitating a meeting between BCCI secretary Saikia and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.

"I was part of both the informal and formal meetings of the ICC, which were also attended by PCB Chairperson Mohsin Naqvi. Although the matter wasn't listed on the formal agenda, the ICC facilitated a separate meeting between the PCB chief and myself, in the presence of a senior ICC office-bearer and another senior official," Saikia said.

"It was a constructive step in restarting the process of discussion. Both sides engaged in a cordial and positive exchange on the sidelines of the ICC Board meeting," the BCCI secretary added.

It now appears likely that the two will resolve the issue amicably. ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja and CEO Sanjog Gupta were instrumental in creating an atmosphere of cordiality between the two boards, enabling them to engage in a dialogue.

The meeting between Saikia and Naqvi is seen as a positive step, and there are now signs that the Asia Cup Trophy, locked up in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) office in Dubai under express orders from Naqvi (the ACC chief), will soon be handed over to the Indian side.

India beat Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium on September 28 but were denied the trophy after they refused to accept it from Naqvi, as an expression of solidarity with the Pahalgam terror victims and the Indian armed forces.