 "Mohsin Naqvi says if the Indian team truly wants the trophy, they must collect it from him. Image: AFP")
The Indian cricket team has still not received the Asia Cup 2025 trophy, which they won after defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final in Dubai three days ago. The reason for this is a standoff between the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has refused to take the trophy from Naqvi, as he is also the chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Naqvi has refused to hand over the Asia Cup trophy to India unless the team collects it directly from him at the ACC office. Naqvi defended his stance on social media and said that if the Indian team truly wants the trophy, they must take it from him. “As ACC President, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me.”
Naqvi refuses to change stance
India had defeated Pakistan by five wickets on Sunday to lift the Asia Cup T20 title, with Tilak Varma scoring a match-winning fifty. But during the post-match ceremony, the Indian players refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who then walked away with it. The Indian players were forced to celebrate the win without the trophy and captain Suryakumar Yadav even spoke about it at the post-match press conference.
On Tuesday, the BCCI raised the issue at the ACC Annual General Meeting, but Naqvi has apparently refused to change his stance. As per reports, BCCI representatives Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla raised a strong objection against the trophy not being handed over to the Indian team and requested Naqvi to drop it at the ACC office. However, Naqvi has insisted that the Indian team collect it from him.
BCCI threatens to take the matter to ICC
The issue has become more political because Naqvi is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and known for his anti-India views. The BCCI has now decided to take this matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in November.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, “We had decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy and the medals. It was very unfortunate, very unsporting. We hope the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible. We will definitely lodge a serious complaint against this act of the ACC chairperson in the ICC meeting.”