Varun Chakravarthy (L). | (Image Credits: BCCI X)
Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy has taken a subtle dig at Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi for not handing over the Asia Cup trophy to Team India after their recent triumph, saying that while the trophy may be withheld, the title of “champions” belongs to India.
Chakravarthy made the remarks during an appearance on presenter Gaurav Kapur’s popular web series, ‘Breakfast with Champions.’
Following their win over Pakistan in a thrilling title clash in Dubai, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Minister for Interior, and pandemonium ensued in the post-match presentation. In response to India’s decision, an official removed the Asia Cup trophy from its place on a raised dais and carried it off the ground without explanation.
“I knew we were going to win all the matches” – Varun Chakravarthy
Despite the imbroglio, the Indian players celebrated with enthusiasm. Captain Suryakumar Yadav even mimicked former skipper Rohit Sharma’s iconic slow walk from the 2024 T20 World Cup final and lifted an imaginary trophy, joined by teammates. Meanwhile, Naqvi later remarked that India could collect the trophy from the ACC office if they wanted.
Speaking during the show about how the team felt after winning the title, Varun said, “It felt good, I knew we were going to win all the matches. We are the number one team in the world. Cup cheen sakte hain (Cup can be snatched), but we are champions.”
Varun also broke the silence on his ‘coffee cup’ celebration on Instagram after the title win, where he posted a picture of himself sleeping with a coffee cup. The spinner, who took seven wickets in six matches at an average of 20.42 in the tournament, said that he had planned to post a picture of himself sleeping with the trophy. But since it was not presented to the team and there was nothing on his bed besides a cup, he decided to go with the post.
I knew that we were going to win because by the time we won the second match against them, I knew that if we were going to meet them at the finals, we were going to win. So I had planned everything. So I will take a photo like I’m sleeping with a cup and all those things. But after the match, there was nothing next to me. Just a coffee cup. So I went with it,” he concluded.
The tea cup gesture was seen as a subtle retort to Pakistani social media users who had earlier commented, ‘Tea is fantastic,’ referencing the Abhinandan incident back in 2019.
The reference dates back to an X post by Pakistan journalist and political commentator Anwar Lodhi, who shared a photo of the mannequin of the Indian Air Force (IAF) braveheart Abhinandan Varthaman, captured in February by Pakistan following a dogfight between the two air forces in which his MIG-21 was shot down in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
Lodhi shared the picture and wrote: “PAF has put a mannequin of Abhi Nandhan on display in the museum. This would be a more interesting display if they could arrange a Cup of FANTASTIC tea in his hand.”
Abhinandan was later released on March 1 at the Attari-Wagah border.
