 "Team India refused to take the Asia Cup trophy from PCB head Mohsin Naqvi. Images: PTI/Reuters")
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has clarified the reasons Indian team refused to take the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from Mohsin Naqvi , the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief, as he also revealed that the cricket body will be lodging a complaint against the Pakistani administrator for taking away the individual winners’ medals and the trophy.
The Asia Cup 2025 witnessed one final drama on Sunday after the Indian team refused to take the trophy from Naqvi during the post-match presentation at the Dubai International Stadium. In retaliation, the ACC organisers took away the trophy and the winners’ medals as the Indian players celebrated winning the tournament without the silverware.
BCCI reveals why Indian players boycotted Naqvi
BCCI secretary Saikia has now revealed that it was a deliberate decision by the Indian players not to take the trophy from Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and has been involved in making anti-Indian remarks.
“Let me make this very clear — the Indian team’s decision was deliberate,” Saikia told Network18. “We had already communicated that we would not accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, because he is not just the ACC chairman but also a senior leader from Pakistan. For us, it is not possible to take an award from someone who represents a country that is openly hostile and waging war against India.
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The BCCI official added that Indian players were ready to take the trophy from a neutral ACC official. Still, in an emotional outburst, Naqvi decided to walk away with the trophy.
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More Shorts“The players were ready to receive the trophy, but only if it was presented by a neutral ACC or match official. When the insistence came that the presentation would be done by Mr. Naqvi himself, the team decided to stay away. That was not an impulsive act — it was a conscious and unanimous decision.
“Unfortunately, after the presentation, the gentleman walked away with the trophy and even the medals meant for our players. That is completely against sporting spirit and against ACC protocol. We hope good sense will prevail, and that the trophy and medals will be handed over to us in due course.”
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Saikia declared that BCCI will soon be lodging a complaint against Naqvi at the ACC and ICC, as he also reminded Pakistan that the Operation Sindoor at the border is not over.
“We will be lodging a strong protest with the ACC and also at the ICC conference in November. Such behaviour cannot be allowed to set a precedent. Cricket is about fair play, and this was anything but fair play,” he said.
“You may recall that our armed forces delivered Operation Sindoor on the border. In the same way, our boys have delivered on the field against Pakistan — it was like Operation Killa in Dubai. The message is the same: India wins, whether on the battlefield or the sports field.”