The saga surrounding the Asia Cup trophy has taken another dramatic turn, with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi publicly challenging the Indian team to personally retrieve their winning prize. On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Naqvi stated that India is “welcome” to collect the trophy from the continental body’s head office in Dubai, as the controversy over the champions being denied the coveted prize continues to escalate.
In a pointed post on ‘X’, Naqvi vehemently denied reports suggesting he had apologized to BCCI officials during the ACC AGM on Tuesday, September 30. These reports stemmed from his actions at the presentation ceremony on Sunday, September 28, where he reportedly walked away with the trophy after the Indian team refused to accept it directly from him. Naqvi, who also serves as the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister, is known for his strong anti-India political stance.
“As ACC President, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me,” he asserted. He further clarified, “Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so.”
During the ACC AGM, BCCI representatives Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla raised serious objections regarding the trophy not being appropriately presented to the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side, which had triumphed over Pakistan in the final. Although Naqvi reportedly told BCCI officials that he was prepared to hand over the trophy, no resolution was reached at the AGM, further aggravating the BCCI leadership.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) plans to escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its upcoming meeting in November. Throughout the tournament, India and Pakistan faced each other three times, with India emerging victorious in all encounters, including the final. The ongoing tension was exacerbated by India’s decision to maintain a ‘no handshake policy’ with Pakistani players during the event, a move that deeply displeased the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).