New Delhi: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reportedly set a condition for handing over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to Team India, leaving the cricketing world in a state of uncertainty. The incident unfolded after India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Naqvi had stepped onto the presentation stage to present the trophy but left the ceremony when India refused to accept it from him, insisting that only a ‘neutral’ official should hand over the awards. Subsequently, Naqvi reportedly took the trophy and medals back to his hotel room.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Naqvi has communicated that the Indian players, including skipper Suryakumar Yadav, would receive their medals only if a formal function is arranged where he himself can present the trophy and medals. Given the sensitive political relations between India and Pakistan, such an arrangement seems highly unlikely.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has expressed its displeasure. Secretary Devajit Saikia criticized Naqvi’s actions, calling them “unsporting” and confirming that the BCCI plans to escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC). He stated, “We hope the trophy and medals will be returned to India as soon as possible. This is definitely something we will protest at the upcoming ICC conference in Dubai in November.”
As of now, no timeline has been provided regarding the return of the trophy and winners’ medals to Team India, which has already returned home following their Asia Cup triumph.
