Mohsin Naqvi, the chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), has refused to hand over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to India, requesting that Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav take it in person from the ACC office.
On September 28, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup final at Dubai International Stadium. While supporters expected jubilation, the Indian team waited for over an hour before refusing to take the trophy from Naqvi, citing his political position and frequent anti-India sentiments throughout the competition.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requested that the trophy be presented by a neutral dignitary, such as the vice chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. However, Naqvi claimed that he would be the only one to give the prize. When India refused, the ACC chairman walked away with the silverware and medals, leaving the victorious team on stage with just phantom celebrations and an unseen prize.
India to take action against Mohsin Naqvi
Soon after, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia slammed Naqvi’s actions. He described the PCB chief’s conduct as unsportsmanlike and unfortunate, and mentioned that the trophy should have been delivered to the winning team without conditions. Saikia stressed that the Men in Blue had consciously decided not to receive the trophy from Naqvi, but that did not give him the right to take away the trophy and medals along with him.
Indian players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, revealed their disappointment as well. Yadav expressed that he had never seen a champion team denied their trophy in such a manner, but added that for him, the real trophies were his teammates and the campaign they had shared during the tournament.
According to a report by Geo Super, during an ACC meeting in Dubai, he rejected BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla’s demand to hand over the trophy. The PCB head reportedly said the matter was not on the meeting’s agenda and added that if India wanted the trophy, its captain must personally collect it from the ACC headquarters.
This condition is highly unlikely to be met by the BCCI, which has made it clear that no Indian representative will accept the trophy directly from Naqvi. According to the source, BCCI may escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) during its next meeting in November.
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