My Opinion

In the ongoing Asian Cup trophy saga, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of Asian Cricket Council, was cornered by BCCI officials at the ACC annual general meeting in Dubai on Tuesday. BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla and board member Ashish Shelar raised strong objections on Naqvi’s decision to take away the Asia Cup and winners’ medals to his hotel.
BCCI officials told Naqvi that India has won the Cup, it has the right to take the trophy, the Cup belongs to ACC and it is not the personal property of Mohsin Naqvi.
Cornered, the PCB chief said, the Indian captain could collect it from him from the ACC office in Dubai. Naqvi insisted that another presentation ceremony be held in which he would personally hand over the Cup to Team India captain.
BCCI officials told him that it was India’s stance from the very beginning that its players and officials will not have any direct interaction with any Pakistani player or official during the tournament.
Naqvi, as ACC chief, was so mean-hearted that at the AGM he first congratulated Nepal for defeating West Indies. He congratulated Mongolia for becoming the new ACC members, but he refrained from congratulating Team India for winning the Cup.
BCCI official Ashish Shelar told him he should at least show the basic courtesy of congratulating Team India. Naqvi, at the end, grudgingly congratulated Team India.
Naqvi said, he waited on the dais for more than an hour to hand over the Cup to India. He said, I became the butt of jokes, a cartoon in the eyes of the world, and I will hand over the Cup and medals only when an award ceremony is held and when Team India agrees to take the trophy from me.
On this, BCCI officials said, India’s stance has already been made clear from the beginning. Its players will not have any direct interaction with any Pakistani player or official.
BCCI will now take up this issue with International Cricket Council, while the ACC has left the decision to the five test-playing members India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Officials of these five member-countries will meet soon.
Let me narrate what exactly happened on Sunday night in Dubai. It was clearly told before the award ceremony that Team India would not take the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. It was then decided ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi, Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalif Al Zarooni and Bangladesh board chief Aminul Islam will stand on the podium, but Naqvi will not hand over any award or medal.
Indian and Pakistan players collected their awards for individual performance from the podium, but trouble arose when the Asia Cup trophy was to be given. Mohsin Naqvi grabbed the trophy and insisted that he would hand over the trophy to Team India.
Team India conveyed to Kiwi commentator Simon Doull that it would not take the trophy from Naqvi, since he is also the Home Minister of Pakistan and is also known for making anti-India remarks on social media.
The UAE hosts tried to find a middle path by speaking to Indian management and Naqvi. UAE officials first suggested that Bangladesh cricket board chief should hand over the Cup to Team India. Team India agreed, but Naqvi did not. He insisted that he would hand the Cup to Team India and no one else.
It was then proposed that the UAE board vice-president would give the Cup, but Naqvi torpedoed this offer too. He stood on the podium waiting for Team India to come. Indian players, who were present on the ground, did not go to the podium.
This drama went on for nearly one hour. Finally, Naqvi walked away in a huff, instructing his officials to take the trophy and winners’ medals to his hotel room. Team India then celebrated its victory on the ground minus the Cup.
What Mohsin Naqvi did can be described with an apt Hindi proverb (“Chori Aur Sinazori” – literal meaning, commit a theft and then brazen it out).
For the first time in cricket history, a winning team is demanding its trophy and the winning team players are waiting for their medals, but the chief of the losing team has grabbed the trophy and medals. His insistence is, “I will give the Cup and medals”.
It is the most shameful thing that the Asia Cup is lying in the hotel room of the person, whose team lost the tournament.
Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi is the world’s first cricket official, who ran away from the ground with the trophy.
For the first time, the chairman of Asian Cricket Counil stood on the dais like a cartoon and the players did not even look at him.
For the first time, the representatives of the winning team insisted on their right to get the Cup at the ACC meeting, but the loser team’s chief was so shameless that he did not budge an inch from his stand.
One must remind Naqvi, those playing street cricket exhibit such brazen manners. When a team starts losing, they snatch away the bat of the winning team and run.
Mohsin Naqvi has stooped to that level. The sooner he is relieved from the responsibility of ACC, the better it will be for cricket.

Internet ban : Taliban making a mistake

A complete internet blackout has been clamped in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. All internet and mobile network services are off. Fibre-optic internet services have been disrupted and Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Uruzgan are now cut off from the rest of the world.
No international calls are now possible because of the internet blackout. Online classes have come to a standstill and all online business transactions are off.
Earlier, Taliban had blacked out of fibre-optic ndetworks in some provinces like Balkh, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan and Nimroz, but now this ban has been extended to the whole of Afghanistan.
Taliban government says, the ban is part of its crackdown on “immoral activities”. A government spokesman said, this was being done to “prevent vice” which is against the rules of Shariat.
Nobody should be surprised over the Taliban decision. There is no right to freedom of speech and expression in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, women cannot study in schools, college and universities, and all sorts of medieval social restrictions have been imposed.
Internet today is the symbol of world freedom. It is the symbol of knowledge. Taliban government is allergic towards freedom and knowledge. This decision will ultimately hurt the Taliban regime and it will have to withdraw its ban, sooner or later.
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The joy of triumph was spoiled on Sunday night by Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi, when he insisted on handing over the Asia Cup trophy to champions Team India, but our team refused to take the trophy from him because Naqvi also happens to be Pakistan Home Minister.
This controversy, unprecedented in international cricket, took place at Dubai international stadium after India defeated Pakistan in the final.
The Indian team was willing to accept the trophy from Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al zarooni, but Naqvi was not ready to give in.
Finally, Naqvi left with the Asian Cup trophy and, alongwith it, the medals that were to be given to the winning team players.
Indian cricket board BCCI has written a letter to International Cricket Council objecting to the behaviour of the PCB chief. Social media was flooded with thousands of memes lampooning the Pakistani minister.
Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav announced that he would donate his entire match fees of the tournament to the Indian army, and, with a smile, remarked, at least this would not create any fresh controversy.
In a tit-for-tat gesture, Pakistan team captain Salman Ali Agha also announced he would donate his entire match fees to the families of those who died on May 7 during Indian army’s Operation Sindoor attacks on terror hideouts in Pakistan.
Suryakumar Yadav’s question is genuine. He said, we won all Asia Cup matches, defeated Pakistan thrice, and yet Pakistan went away with the trophy. The team that won the Asia Cup is empty handed, while the team that lost is sitting pretty with the trophy and medals.
This is mockery at its lowest. Why Mohsin Naqvi insisted that he would hand over the trophy to Team India? Would heavens had fallen if the host country UAE’s cricket board vice-chairman had given the trophy to Team India?
PCB chairman is behaving in exactly the same manner in which Pakistan Army Chief did post-Operation Sindoor. With terror hideouts, air base runways and hangar devastated, Asim Munir was crowing a fake victory.
But Suryakumar Yadav and his team replied to the rival’s empty sounding boasts with their bat and ball. Not once, but thrice, in a single tournament. If Mohsin Naqvi has a modicum of shame left, he should hand over the trophy and medals to Team India, otherwise ICC must take action against the Pakistan Cricket Board chief.
The PCB chief has become the butt of ridicule on social media. One joke was classic, in which the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif was shown posting a message congratulating Pakistan team for winning the Asia Cup and defeating India in all three matches. In the post, the Pakistani PM was shown comparing the attacks of his fast bowlers with missiles and his batters with Pakistan’s air defence systems.
The joke also says, credit for the victory should go to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir because his army had been imparting training to the cricket team for the last one year.
The satirical joke further depicts Shehbaz Sharif as writing that he has asked the PCB chairman to raise the issue with ICC about why fake matches are being telecast on TV. The Pakistani PM was shown telling his people to trust his words that the army and players have won all matches, including the Cup.
There are many such jokes and memes which are already viral on social media and people are having a whale of a time going through them.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed 30 per cent match fee fines on Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan bowler Haris Rauf for their conduct during the India-Pakistan match on Sunday in Asia Cup. It also reprimanded Pakistani opener Sahibzada Farhan for his AK-47 gesture after scoring his fifty.
During back-to-back hearings overseen by match referee Richie Richardson, Farhan claimed that since he was a Pathan hailing from Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, he celebrated his fifty in the traditional Pashtun way and it carried no political connotation.
In his defence, Haris Rauf claimed his gesture had no political motive and it had nothing to do with India-Pakistan bilateral tension. The ICC did not accept his clarification and imposed a 30 pc match fee fine.
On Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressing solidarity with the victims of Pahalgam terror attack and praising the Indian army for Operation Sindoor, the ICC concluded that it “potentially harmed the image of the sport” and a 30 pc match fee deduction was ordered.
Now let me make my point. Farhan knew exactly what he was doing by making a gun-fire gesture. Rauf knew well what he wanted to convey by mimicking a plane crash in the stands.
There is no point giving lame excuses before the ICC enquiry committee. The world noticed what both these Pakistani cricketers did.
These players must know that they were playing for their country at an international sports event. They were not doing some sort of ‘mujra’ or dance at anybody’s wedding. To claim that what they were doing were celebratory gestures is a plain lie.
I think the ICC has let the both players off easily. More severe punishment should have been awarded.

“I Love Mohammed” controversy : Do not trust rumours

Attempts were made to disturb communal peace in some cities of India after Friday afternoon prayers by some mischievous elements. In one or two places, some maulanas made vitriolic attacks, while in most of the mosques, the maulanas handled the situation properly.
The controversy began with “I Love Mohammed” posters. The city kazi of Kanpur Abdul Quddus Hadi Saheb has said, he has read the FIR relating to the poster and appealed to Muslims not to listen to rumours about anybody being arrested for the poster. He appealed to the youths to maintain peace.
In Beed, Maharashtra, a maulana threatened to bury UP CM Yogi Adityanath alive, while in Bareilly, UP Maulana Tauqir Raza incited youths and asked them to come out on the streets after Friday prayers.
Maulana Tauqir Raza had asked people to assemble outside Badi Masjid after Friday prayers and carry “I Love Mohammed” placards. Thousands gathered outside the mosque and started chating provocative slogans. Stoning began and police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
The situation was brought under control within two hours. There were thousands of footwears lying scattered on the streets. Several police vehicles were stoned and police is now trying to nab the mischief makers with the help of CCTV footage.
DIG Police, Bareilly, Ajay Kumar Sahni said, the manner in which violence broke out clearly showed a pre-planned plot. He promised to nab the conspirators soon.
Whatever happened in Bareilly was not a coincidence, it was an experiment. Maulana Tauqir Raza has a questionable background. He spews venom whenever he delivers his sermons and speeches.
His only motive is to incite Muslims. He had done this earlier too and later apologized for his act. It seems he has not changed his colour.
The Kanpur controversy about ‘I Love Mohammed’ poster has been clarified by the city kazi who has said that the FIR was not against those who displayed the banner, but against those who tore it up.
In a communally surcharged atmosphere, rumours spread fast and because of such misinformation, there were incidents of arson in Gujarat and violence in Ujjain, Indore, Bhopal, Bareilly, Lucknow and Beed. But nobody tried to verify the facts.
In Beed, Maulana Ashfaq Nisar Sheikh, while addressing a crowd of several thousand people, vowed to bury Yogi Adityanath alive. He challenged the UP CM to come to Beed and try to remove “I Love Mohammed” banners. Police lodged an FIR against him, and later the maulana, who had gone underground, was taken into custody.
The chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Mumbai, Maulana Siraj Khan has demanded action against people who are trying to disturb communal brotherhood.
Noted Shia Maulana Kalbe Jawwad said, no true Muslim can utter such remarks against Yogi Adityanath.
Let me make this clear. Every Muslim has the freedom to say “I Love Mohammed”. Every person has the right to follow his or her faith. Problem arises when baseless rumours are spread through social media, and people, without verifying messages, start believing them.
There is one link common between Kanpur, Bareilly and Beed. Yogi Adityanath is being made the target. The motive of those trying to fan communal sentinments is clear.
One can criticize Yogi’s policies, but to threaten to “bury him alive” is not acceptable. There is no place for such remarks in a democracy.

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Pakistani cricketers behaved like ‘terrorists’ at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. When they started losing to Team India in their Super Fours clash in the T20 Asian Cup 2025, they indulged in antics. Pakistan’s top scoring batter Sahibzada Farhan, who survived a dropped catch at 0, mimicked by using his bat as an AK-47 rifle, after completing his fifty.
Pakistani bowler Haris Rauf, after getting an Indian wicket, did a play-act of shooting down a fighter jet. His gestures showed as if he has downed fighter jets. The indication was clearly towards Operation Sindoor and doing a false propaganda for Pakistani army chief Asim Munir.
When Team India began batting, the Pakistani fielders hurled abuses. India’s top scorer Abhishek Sharma later complained during a post-match chat. He said, “Paaji, today, I think I needed to do something because I didn’t like what was happening… The words that were being said… after every ball, they were making personal attacks. Shubman Gill and I were talking about it — that we’ll win our team the match and give them a befitting reply.”
It was left to Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav to rub salt into Pakistan’s wounds.
At the post-match media conference, Yadav told a Pakistani reporter, “Sir, my request is that we should now stop calling India vs Pakistan matches a rivalry.” When the reporter clarified that he was referring to “standards, and not the rivalry”, the Indian skipper said it hardly makes things any different. “ Rivalry and standard are all the same. Now what is a rivalry? If two teams have played 15 matches and it’s 8-7, that’s a rivalry. Here it’s 13-1 [12-3] or something. There is no contest.”
I think Suryakumar Yadav is right. The Pakistani cricket team lacks power and class. Wins and losses do take place in matches, but to turn the cricket field into a battlefield is objectionable. A batter pointing his bat towards the rival stands like an A-47, and a bowler doing the fighter jet downed pose, are nothing but acts of frustration.
Pakistani players excel in such low standards. If the Pakistani army chief Gen Munir can promote himself as Field Marshal after losing a battle, why not Farhan and Haris, who can try to pose as heroes after losing the match on the field?
In the first 10 overs, when Pakistani batters were playing well, the Pakistani commentator was describing his team as “aggressive” and “highly talented”. In the next 10 overs, they failed to amass runs. When during Team India’s first over, Abhishek Sharma started smacking the balls from star bowler Shaheen Afridi, the same commentator started describing his team as “inexperienced”. When Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill played wonderful shots off Pakistani bowlers and started making runs at a fast rate, the Pakistani commentators had no words left but to praise the Indians.
My opinion, since the beginning, has been that there was no need to play matches with Pakistan. After watching the two matches in which Team India decimated the Pakistanis, my sense of disapproval has somewhat dissipated. I now feel that our boys have sent a good message by defeating the Pakistanis on the ground.

Beware Of Cyber Robbers

A note of caution to all. A 78-year-old senior citizen in Delhi, Naresh Malhotra, was duped of Rs 23 crore by a cyber crime gang. Malhotra had worked in a bank and he knows banking regulations. Yet, he was caught in the trap of cyber thugs.
Delhi Police Special Cell has filed an FIR after Malhotra’s complaint that he was swindled of Rs 22.98 crore. From August 4 to September 4, this huge amount of money was transferred from his account to other shady accounts. It amounted to a neat daily average of nearly Rs 75 lakhs.
The gang went into action the moment Malhotra agreed to cooperate out of fear. A fake court via internet video calling was created, Malhotra was “produced” in that fake court, and the fake court issued an order of digital arrest. He was asked to cooperate with the thugs.
Malhotra gave all details of his properties and bank accounts. Since the cyber criminals had used letterheads of Enforcement Directorate, Reserve Bank of India and Supreme Court, Malhotra, out of fear, gave away all details of his properties. Taking advantage of this, the thugs sold his shares. Every time, huge amount of money was transferred to bank accounts operated by cyber thugs, he was given certificates from “RBI”.
Acting swiftly, Delhi Police froze a bank account having Rs 2.5 crore. Surprisingly, the gang knew that Malhotra used to stay in his home alone, he had two daughters staying out of Delhi. They even knew the numbers of grandsons and grand daughters.
Malhotra’s suspicions arose when, on being asked to transfer money to a private limited company in Kolkata, he refused and said he would himself go to the Supreme Court or RBI to deposit the money. The phone calls then stopped coming.
Former Delhi Police chief S. N. Shrivastav said, people should take care of three points.
Point 1, police never gives info about arrest warrant on phone and if there is a court order, police would reach home physically.
Point 2, no police officer will say, do not disclose this case to any other person.
Point 3, neither police nor any investigating agency carry out interrogation over video call or WhatsApp. The person is called to police station or the investigating agency office.
Last, but not the least, there is no provision of “digital arrest” in India. Anybody saying he has the powers of carrying out “digital arrest” is a cheat, a thug and the victim must disconnect the call immediately.
In 2024, Rs 22,845 crore was swindled by cyber gangs in India. During the first two months of this year, Rs 210 crore was swindled through cyber crimes and if we add Naresh Malhotra’s case, the amount comes to Rs 233 crore.
It shows the lack of awareness among the citizens. Literate and well-read persons, doctors, chartered accountants, bankers become victims and the gangs carry out their cyber crimes with full preparations and confidence.
More than 92,000 people were made victims in the name of “digital arrest”. My appeal to all of you is: Be careful, don’t get caught in any trap offering chances to get rich quick, or anybody telling you that a parcel that has come from abroad has drugs in it, or you have any links with some terror attack.
Do not fear or panic. Do not share your bank account details with any unknown persons. If OTP is asked for, do not share, otherwise your money can be easily diverted into fake accounts within seconds.
If anybody threatens you with digital arrest, take the assistance of any well-read person in your neighbourhood. In order to lodge cyber related crimes, Home Ministry has set up a helpline number 1930. Use this helpline number. No government can stop cyber crime completely, unless people become fully aware and alert.
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