Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi has apologised to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the trophy fiasco that erupted after India’s victory in the Asia Cup 2025 final. Despite the apology, Naqvi has refused to return the winner’s trophy to the Indian team unless specific conditions are met.

According to reports from Pakistani media, Naqvi has insisted that India captain Suryakumar Yadav must travel to the ACC headquarters in Dubai to collect the trophy in person. This condition came up during an ACC meeting held on Tuesday, where BCCI officials strongly objected to the way the post-match situation was handled.

Post-Match Row: Trophy Taken Away After Indian Snub

The controversy originated on Sunday, September 28, when the Indian cricket team declined to accept the trophy and medals from Naqvi, who was present as ACC chair. Following this, Naqvi allegedly ordered the trophies and medals to be removed from the ground, preventing the Indian players from celebrating their win in the customary manner.

During the meeting, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla criticised Naqvi’s actions, stating, “The Asia Cup trophy belongs to the ACC, not the PCB chief.” He further condemned Naqvi for taking the trophy and medals to his hotel room instead of ensuring their formal handover to the winning side. Shukla demanded that the trophy be returned immediately and placed under ACC’s official custody.

Sources at the meeting revealed that although Naqvi used a more conciliatory tone and expressed regret, he stood firm on his stance that the Indian team should collect the trophy from the Dubai office. “After further insistence, he (Naqvi) remarked that if the Indian team wanted the trophy, its captain should visit the ACC office personally to receive it,” according to a report by Geo News.

Celebrations Cut Short Despite India’s Dominance

The Indian team, which secured a clean sweep over Pakistan in the tournament beating them three times, including in the final had expected a proper presentation ceremony. Instead, the victory celebrations were marred by political undertones and administrative tensions.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia earlier explained the Indian team’s decision to decline receiving the trophy from Naqvi. Speaking to ANI, Saikia said, “We have decided not to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the senior leaders of Pakistan. That was a conscious decision.”

He also sharply criticised Naqvi for removing the trophy and medals from the stadium, calling it an “unsportsmanlike” act. “This does not give him the right to take the trophy and the medals with him. It is extremely unfortunate and unsportsmanlike. We hope the trophy and medals will be returned to India as soon as possible,” Saikia added.

BCCI to File Strong Protest at ICC Meet

Saikia further stated that the BCCI would raise the issue formally at the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting. “There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson,” he said.

The BCCI also rejected Naqvi’s demand for the Indian captain to travel to Dubai to retrieve the trophy, arguing that no such condition was in place on the night of the final. Officials questioned why Suryakumar Yadav should be expected to collect the trophy in person when the usual protocol was denied post-match.

Although Naqvi expressed regret during the ACC meeting, his refusal to hand over the trophy without preconditions has kept the dispute alive. The incident has deepened tensions between the Indian and Pakistani cricket boards, further complicating their already strained sporting relations.