Cup trophy given to Indian team original: ICC
Responding to reports that the World Cup trophy presented to Team India was a replica as the original had been seized by the customs department in Mumbai over non-payment of duty, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday said the winners had got the original trophy and the one with the customs was the perpetual Cup that stays with the ICC.
Responding to reports that the World Cup trophy presented to Team India was a replica as the original had been seized by the customs department in Mumbai over non-payment of duty, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday said the winners had got the original trophy and the one with the customs was the perpetual Cup that stays with the ICC.
ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat said, “Since the 2003 World Cup, we have two trophies. One is the perpetual trophy, which is used for promotional purposes. It has been going in and out of India for the last six weeks. We had the original trophy at the field of play on Saturday. That is the trophy that matters, and that is with the Indian team.”
A statement released by the world cricket body said “the promotional, perpetual trophy remains in the keeping of ICC at its headquarters in Dubai. It carries the generic ICC corporate logo, rather than the logo specific to the 2011 event. That trophy will be reclaimed today and will travel back to Dubai with ICC staff, as was always intended.”
Sources in the customs department claimed that the “replica” (the perpetual trophy) had been brought to India by an ICC representative on January 18 this year. “If the ICC claims the trophy given to the Indian team is real and the one seized was the perpetual one, what about the replica that came in January?” customs officials who did not wish to be named asked. Lorgat, however, had handed over the original trophy to ICC president Sharad Pawar at Dalal Street on January 19. The perpetual trophy, which has been in and out of India six times, was brought to Mumbai by ICC officials for the final from Colombo after the semi-final in Sri Lanka.
They were to take it back to Dubai after the final. A new, original Cup will be created for the next edition of the World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2015.
Official speak
Since the 2003 World Cup, we have two trophies. One is the perpetual trophy, which is used for promotional purposes. It has been going in and out of India for the last six weeks. We had the original trophy at the field of play on Saturday. That is the trophy that matters, and that is with the Indian team, says Haroon Lorgat, ICC CEO.