India may have conquered the Asia Cup on the field, but the real fight has now shifted to the boardroom. Three days after their emphatic win in Dubai, the Indian team is still without the trophy and medallions victims of a bitter standoff inside the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

The controversy exploded during an ACC meeting in Dubai on September 30. Indian representatives Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla squared off with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, demanding an immediate resolution. Naqvi, who chaired the session, had taken away the trophy after Indian players refused to accept it from his hands at the presentation.

Tempers flared. Shelar accused the chair of disrespecting the champions and warned that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would escalate the matter to the ICC. At one stage, Shelar even logged out in protest before rejoining later.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelWith no agreement in sight, the ACC decided that its five Test-playing members India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will meet separately to break the deadlock.

The clash began even before the trophy debate. Naqvi congratulated Mongolia for ACC membership and Nepal for a series win over West Indies but ignored India’s title triumph. Only after Shelar’s intervention did he reluctantly congratulate the champions.

Other agenda points including the election of a vice-president and scheduling of junior tournaments were abandoned as the storm over the missing silverware consumed the session.

For now, the Asia Cup champions are still without their crown. The match is over, but the real contest has just begun.