It’s almost a week since the dramatic India-Pakistan final of the Asia Cup 2025, but the controversy over the trophy handover rages on.
Days after Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief and president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) said the Indian team is "welcome" to collect the Asia Cup trophy from him at the ACC head office in Dubai, comes the news that he is set to be honoured with the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal for his “principled and courageous stance” during the trophy handover at the final in Dubai.
After India beat Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, a surprising drama unfolded in Dubai. Mohsin Naqvi, PCB chief, allegedly picked up the Asia Cup trophy and walked off the stage. The Indian team had refused to accept the trophy from him. #pcb #india #bcci #pakistan… pic.twitter.com/IVPIMKv2ZY
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) September 29, 2025
India beat Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling final in Dubai on September 28, but refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, thus delaying the presentation ceremony. Following this, he had the trophy and the winners medals removed from the ground, forcing the Indian team to celebrate without the silverware.
According to a report in The Independent, advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal, president of the Sindh and Karachi Basketball Associations, announced the award, saying that Naqvi’s actions had “restored national pride”. A special committee led by Sindh Basketball Association chairman Khalid Jameel Shamsi has been formed to conduct the event, with Director Sports, Commissioner Karachi, Ghulam Muhammad Khan, as the secretary. A formal ceremony is reportedly being planned in Karachi, with PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the chief guest.
“This is not just about cricket,” Jamal was quoted as saying about Naqvi’s action. “This is about dignity, sovereignty, and the refusal to bend under pressure.”
The hostilities between India and Pakistan are at an all-time high after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 Indian tourists were killed. India had subsequently launched military action under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure across the border.
In a post on X on October 1, Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan interior minister, rejected reports claiming that he apologised to BCCI officials at the ACC AGM on Tuesday, for his actions at the presentation ceremony.
The BCCI is set take up the matter with the ICC, which will have its meeting in November.
