In an IANS interaction, Saikia detailed Rinku’s hasty 5 AM flight from Chennai to Greater Noida hospital. ‘We extend BCCI’s heartfelt condolences to Rinku and his loved ones in this hour of immense pain,’ he remarked.

Rinku will skip the crucial Super-8 encounter with West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday, prioritizing family. Updates on his return will follow soon, assured Saikia.

Khanchand Singh’s battle ended tragically at 4:36 AM Friday after weeks on ventilator at Yatharth Hospital, admitted February 21 amid worsening health.

Rinku, part of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup plans, had briefly left the Zimbabwe match camp in Chennai to see his father before rejoining, sitting out the playing XI.

From a background of cylinder delivery work and economic struggles, Khanchand instilled unyielding grit in Rinku, propelling him to stardom. The outpouring of grief includes messages from Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Chennai Super Kings officials.

Rinku’s early morning departure for the funeral rites marks a poignant pause in his career. The cricketing world watches closely, hoping for his swift recovery from this personal tragedy. Stories like Rinku’s highlight the human side of sport, where family roots run deep.

During the post-match formalities, Suryakumar was asked about the satisfaction of lifting a trophy. His response was a clever nod to the Asia Cup incident, where the Indian team, despite winning the tournament, did not physically receive the coveted trophy. “It feels great to finally get to touch the trophy. Felt it in my hands when I was handed over the trophy for the series victory. A few days back another trophy arrived in India, our women’s team has won the World Cup. That trophy has also arrived back home. It feels great and getting to touching this trophy as well feels good,” Suryakumar shared at the press conference.

The captain’s remarks are widely interpreted as a lighthearted jab at Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who notably did not present the Asia Cup trophy following India’s championship win. Consequently, the trophy has remained at the Asian Cricket Council headquarters in Dubai. This situation has fueled discussions and speculation within the cricketing world.

In related developments, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed that negotiations between the BCCI and PCB regarding the Asia Cup issue have seen positive progress following a recent face-to-face meeting in Dubai. This marks the first direct communication since the dispute originally arose. Saikia clarified that while the Asia Cup dispute wasn’t an official agenda item at the ICC meeting, the organization facilitated an informal discussion between the parties. “It was really good to start the process of negotiation. Both sides cordially participated in the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the ICC board meeting. Definitely, in the coming times, if things go in a positive way, the issue will be sorted at the earliest,” Saikia informed PTI. The Asia Cup trophy’s current location remains at the ACC office in Dubai, reportedly due to instructions from Mohsin Naqvi to prevent its relocation without his explicit approval. This comes after his earlier insistence that the Indian players should receive the trophy directly from him, a condition that Suryakumar and the Indian team ultimately declined.

During the presentation ceremony, Naqvi was present on stage. However, the BCCI decided not to accept the trophy from him, and instead, was prepared to receive it from the Vice-Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. Naqvi, seemingly upset by this decision, took the trophy and the Indian team’s medals to his hotel, reportedly stating that the Indian team did not need to be given the trophy.

BCCI is now considering taking action regarding Naqvi’s conduct. Secretary Devajit Saikia strongly condemned Naqvi’s actions, explaining that India was at war with the country from which the ACC chairman hails. Therefore, the BCCI could not accept the trophy from a representative of that nation. Saikia expressed surprise at Naqvi’s behavior, stating that the refusal to accept the trophy did not mean he was authorized to take it away. He demanded the immediate return of the trophy to India. The BCCI intends to strongly protest the events at the prize distribution ceremony and seek appropriate action.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia responded to the situation with strong criticism of Naqvi’s actions during the presentation ceremony. He described Naqvi’s act of taking the Asia Cup trophy and medals as “unsportsmanlike” and announced India’s intention to formally raise the issue at the upcoming ICC conference in Dubai. Saikia emphasized that the BCCI would not allow such behavior to go unaddressed. The Indian team decided against receiving the trophy from the ACC chairman due to his representation of a country engaged in conflict with India. However, the team was dismayed that the trophy and medals were taken away by him. The BCCI plans to lodge a strong protest against the ACC chairperson’s behavior during the next ICC conference in November in Dubai. On the field, Tilak Varma’s outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, along with Rinku Singh’s winning boundary, secured India’s ninth Asia Cup title.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated, “At some stage BCCI will have to do something. We cannot be a silent spectator.” He added, “It was a private affair of RCB, but we at the BCCI are responsible for cricket in India and we will try to ensure such incidents do not recur in future.”

The stampede may have been exacerbated by unclear event schedules and poor communication. Conflicting announcements about the event’s location, between Vidhana Soudha and the stadium, caused confusion and movement of people. Reports indicate that even some police officers were not fully informed of the event’s schedule, contributing to the chaotic atmosphere. Insufficient communication from ground staff also hampered efforts to manage the crowd effectively.