The controversy surrounding the Asia Cup trophy has taken an unexpected turn. Following India’s five-wicket triumph over Pakistan in Dubai on September 28, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to accept the trophy directly from Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s interior minister and head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This decision stemmed from ongoing cross-border tensions between the two nations.
The immediate aftermath of India’s victory saw a peculiar delay in the post-match presentation ceremony. For a full 90 minutes, the event was put on hold before an official quietly removed the trophy from the winner’s podium without offering any explanation.
Further revelations emerged during a recent visit by a BCCI official to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) headquarters. Upon inquiring about the trophy’s whereabouts, staff members disclosed that it had been moved and was now in Mohsin Naqvi’s personal custody at an undisclosed location in Abu Dhabi.
An anonymous source from ANI confirmed, “A BCCI official visited ACC headquarters a few days back. When he inquired about the trophy in the ACC office, the staff told him that it has been removed from here and is in the custody of Mohsin Naqvi in some place in Abu Dhabi.”
Adding another layer to the dispute, Naqvi had previously outlined conditions for the trophy’s return at the beginning of October. He stated that if India genuinely desired the trophy, their representatives would need to collect it directly from him at the ACC office. He later even proposed hosting a dedicated ceremony to present the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to the Indian team.
Despite a formal letter from the BCCI requesting the trophy’s handover, Naqvi remained steadfast, reiterating his demand for an Indian player to personally attend such a ceremony.
A meeting of the ACC was convened in late September to address the escalating situation. While initial reports indicated that Naqvi had offered an apology to the BCCI for the chaos that ensued after the final, he subsequently denied making any such apology. Ultimately, the ACC meeting concluded without a formal resolution or a definitive decision on the trophy’s handover, leaving the prestigious cricketing silverware in a state of limbo.