GG News Bureau
Dubai, 30th Sept: A fresh controversy has erupted in world cricket after Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi walked away with the Asia Cup 2025 trophy, following Team India’s refusal to accept it from his hands.
The incident took place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, after India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final. Despite Naqvi stepping onto the presentation stage, the Indian team reiterated its stance that the trophy should only be received from a neutral official. As a result, the Pakistani political figure left the stadium with the trophy and medals.
Two days after the conclusion of the match, there has been no clarity on how or when the trophy will be handed over to the Indian team, which has already returned home. A report by Cricbuzz claimed Naqvi has imposed a condition—that the medals and trophy will only be handed over in a formal ceremony where he would personally present them to the players.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, has strongly objected to Naqvi’s actions. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told ANI, “We have decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan. That does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy with him, along with the medals. It is very unfortunate, very unsporting.”
Saikia further confirmed that the BCCI will report the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its upcoming conference in Dubai scheduled for early November. “We hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible. We are going to launch a very serious and strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson,” he asserted.
With political tensions between India and Pakistan already high, the trophy row has added a new layer of drama to cricketing relations between the two nations.
