BCCI may raise Asia Cup Trophy issue at ICC meeting on November 4
Mumbai (PTI): The BCCI is hopeful that the Asia Cup winners Trophy will reach its headquarters in Mumbai "within a day or two" but if the impasse continues, the Indian Board will take the matter to the ICC on November 4.
India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in the final in Dubai to win the Asia Cup, but declined to accept the trophy from Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as ACC and PCB chairman.
This was after India skipper Suryakymar Yadav refused to shake hands with his Pakistan counterpart due to the conflict between the two nations.
Naqvi has already conveyed that the trophy can be handed over to India but it will be presented by him.
More than a month after the triumph, the BCCI still awaits the official handover of the silverware.
"Yes, we are a little bit unhappy with the way the trophy has not been being given to us even after a month," BCCI joint secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI Video in an exclusive interaction.
"We are pursuing this matter, about 10 days ago also we wrote a letter to the chairman of ACC, but there is no change in their stand.
"They are still keeping the trophy under their custody but we hope that the trophy will reach us in a day or two at the BCCI office in Mumbai."
Saikia said if the trophy is not handed over soon, the BCCI will raise the issue at the upcoming ICC quarterly meeting in Dubai from November 4.
The Trophy presentation in Dubai had been delayed by over an hour before the silverware was taken off the field without explanation, leaving the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side celebrating their triumph without the trophy in a first of its kind on a cricket field.
While the BCCI has officially requested its return, Naqvi has reportedly remained firm, suggesting that Indian players collect it in person at a future event as there has been no formal resolution yet.
"On behalf of BCCI we are fully prepared how to deal with the matter and I can assure the people of India that the trophy will come back to India, only the timeline is not fixed. One day it will come," Saikia said.
"We have won all matches against Pakistan and won the trophy. We have won the championship. Everything is on record. Only the trophy is missing. I hope good sense will prevail.
Tea before lunch likely in Guwahati Test
In a first for Test cricket, the second match of the upcoming two-Test series between India and South Africa to be held in Guwahati next month could see a reversal of the traditional order of sessions, with tea likely to be served before lunch.
Saikia confirmed that discussions were on regarding a possible adjustment in playing hours owing to Guwahati’s early sunrise and sunset.
"The process is going on because eastern part of the country have earlier sunrise and earlier sunset, so to accommodate and to have the timeline of playing six hours in a day, there has to be some changes with the timing.
"But if the match starting time is brought little bit earlier than when the actual lunch time, it may not be lunch time.
"So there may be some swapping of the sessions. I don't think that will be a big issue but the process is on, and it is yet to be finalised," he said.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
