The controversy surrounding the Asia Cup 2025 final has escalated into a major administrative battle, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly set to push for the censure and even the removal of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, from his position as an ICC Director.
The dispute stems from the bizarre events that followed India’s victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the tournament final, where Indian players refused to accept the winners’ trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister.
Trophy ‘Locked Away’ in Dubai
Following India’s refusal to engage with him at the presentation ceremony, Naqvi allegedly walked away with the silverware. As per a report from news agency PTI, the trophy has since been locked away at the ACC headquarters in Dubai, with Naqvi insisting he alone will personally hand it over to the Indian team.
A source told PTI that Naqvi has given clear instructions that the trophy “should not be moved or handed over to anyone without his approval and in-person presence.”
This move has drawn the ire of the BCCI, the official hosts of the tournament, who deem Naqvi’s actions a breach of protocol and an unbefitting political intervention in a sporting event.
“It remains to be seen what will be the long term ramifications for the PCB or Naqvi because the BCCI is clear he (Naqvi) didn’t have any right to insist on handing the trophy himself to the Indian team and refusing to send it to the BCCI who were official hosts of the event,” a source was quoted as saying.
BCCI to Take Stand at ICC Meeting
The BCCI has reportedly vowed to raise a “very strong protest” at the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting in November. The Indian board is widely speculated to be planning a move to have Naqvi formally “censured and even removed as Director in the ICC” over the ‘trophy-gate’ incident and his alleged unsporting conduct.
The trophy row is the climax of an Asia Cup that was largely overshadowed by hostilities between the two rivals. The entire tournament saw strained relations, including India’s refusal to engage in handshakes with Pakistani players following political developments. The PCB, on its part, also courted controversy after reportedly seeking the removal of ICC match referee Andy Pycroft after alleging he told their captain, Salman Ali Agha, not to shake hands with India counterpart Suryakumar Yadav.
Despite the off-field drama, India secured their ninth Asia Cup title by defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final, capping off a tournament that may now be remembered more for the political standoff than the cricket