Mohsin Naqvi could pull off ‘Houdini act’ to dodge ICC, ACC scrutiny as Asia Cup trophy stays locked in Dubai: Report

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi may pull off a ‘Houdini act’ at the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meetings in November to escape scrutiny over his keeping the Asia Cup 2025 trophy locked in Dubai instead of handing it over to the rightful winners, India. While a few media reports have stated that Naqvi took the Asia Cup trophy to Pakistan, the silverware is in Dubai, locked in the ACC office.

Naqvi, who is also the ACC chief, has instructed the employees not to move the trophy without his approval. The ACC office is housed in ICC Academy in Dubai.

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Team India refused to take the Asia Cup trophy from ACC head Naqvi, who is also the Interior Minister in Pakistan. An embarrassed Naqvi took the trophy back to his hotel in anger and has since refused to hand it over to India. He is insisting that India should collect the trophy from him.

Naqvi to skip ICC, ACC meetings over fear of scrutiny?

The matter was discussed during the ACC Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Dubai on 30 September, in which things got pretty heated up between Naqvi and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) representatives. But both parties failed to conclude, and it was decided that Asia’s five Test-playing boards – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan – would meet again in early November to bring an end to the standoff.

The ACC meeting will take place in early November in Dubai, at the same time as ICC’s quarterly meeting in the city. But Cricbuzz says that Naqvi can pull off a surprise to further delay the matter.

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Naqvi skipped the ICC Annual Conference in July, sending a representative on his behalf, and he could do the same during the upcoming ICC and ACC meetings. His absence would derail any process to bring an end to the fiasco.

Naqvi’s absence, however, would be a well-thought-out process, as there are reports that BCCI may try to have him removed from the ICC board as a result of his transgressions.

The BCCI will now need to decide its next step in case Naqvi decides to escape the ICC meeting like the famous magician Harry Houdini.