Seized World Cup trophy on its way to Dubai

Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the World Cup trophy handed over to Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was original and that the promotional perpetual trophy, which was seized by the Mumbai customs, is on its way back to Dubai to the ICC office.

James Fitzgerald, the ICC Media and Communications Manager, revealed that the ongoing media reports about the original trophy being seized are totally incorrect. "It is erroneous and mischievous media reports," he said.

"The trophy seized by Mumbai customs is the promotional trophy which remains in the keeping of ICC at its headquarters in Dubai," he added.

The ICC World Cup was promoted with the catch phrase '14 nations and one cup', hence the confusion began when another cup appeared in Mumbai. The promotional trophy was flown in from Colombo after it was displayed during the matches in Sri Lanka.

Indian customs which had recently withdrawn the privilege of 'no duty to sports goods', held back the trophy without checking whether it was the original trophy.

"The trophy presented to India indeed carries the specific event logo of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and has always been the cup that the 14 teams were playing for," said Fitzgerald.

The trophy is 60 cm high and is made from silver and gold and features a golden globe held up by three silver columns. The columns, shaped as stumps and bails, represent the three fundamental aspects of cricket: batting, bowling and fielding while the globe characterises a cricket ball.

Since 2003, the ICC has had two trophies with one being used for promotional purposes. It is understood that a new original cup is being created for the next World Cup in 2015 to he hosted by Australia and New Zealand.