The war of words between the Pakistan Cricket Board and Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi and the BCCI took a fresh twist as the former flatly refused to hand over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy and instead, asked India skipper Suryakumar Yadav to collect it in person.
The Asia Cup final on September 28, which India won by five wickets against Pakistan in Dubai, saw high drama as the Men in Blue refused to collect the trophy from Naqvi during the presentation. Following this, Naqvi had the trophy and the winners medals removed from the ground and, reportedly, taken to his hotel room. The Indian team, meanwhile, celebrated without the silverware.
The matches between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup were played amid geopolitical tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor. India’s no-handshake policy, comments made by both the captains during pre- and post-match press briefings, and provocative gestures and celebrations from both sides during matches, played their part in escalating tensions further.
also read
- EPIC THRILLER in ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025; Super Over win for Bangladesh A against India A in semifinal
- Will India A play Pakistan A in Asia Cup Rising Stars post Delhi car blast?
- 'My condition was very serious': Tilak Varma reveals how he narrowly escaped death
- 'We went with more specialist bowlers and batters who can finish' - Varun Chakaravarthy speaks to THE WEEK about India's Asia Cup glory
On Tuesday, in a virtual AGM between the ACC and BCCI officials to elect a vice-chairman, Naqvi flatly rejected the Indian board’s demand that the trophy and the medals be handed over saying the matter was not part of the meeting’s agenda. He, reportedly, said he was not informed about the Indian team’s decision not to accept the trophy from him, and was made to “look like a cartoon”.
BCCI's Rajiv Shukla and Ashish Shelar, reportedly, asked Naqvi to keep the trophy in the ACC's Dubai office, from where it can be sent to the Indian team as it was the “legitimate winner”.
Naqvi also, reportedly, refrained from congratulating India for winning the Asia Cup in his opening remarks. Pakistani media reported that the ACC has directed Yadav to collect it from the ACC office in person.
It is learnt that the BCCI is planning to lodge a formal complaint with the ICC, and that it wants the trophy to be transferred to the headquarters of the apex cricket body.
