The BCCI vs PCB battle refuses to die down. It has been nearly a month since the Asia Cup 2025 final, but champions Team India have not received the trophy yet. After Team India refused to take the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is Pakistan’s interior minister and also the president of the Asian Cricket Council. Naqvi has refused to hand over the trophy without a ceremony.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wrote a letter to the ACC chief along with members of Afghanistan and Sri Lanka cricket board, requesting the trophy to be handed over. In response, Naqvi said that the BCCI should send an official or a player to the ACC office in Dubai and collect the trophy after a proper official ceremony. With the BCCI maintaining its stance of not receving the trophy from Naqvi, the deadlock continues.
“The BCCI secretary, BCCI’s ACC representative Rajeev Shukla and representatives of other member boards including Sri Lanka Cricket and Afghanistan had written to the ACC president last week over handing the trophy to India. But his (Naqvi’s) response was that someone from BCCI should come to Dubai and take the trophy from him. So the matter will most likely be decided in the ICC meeting,” PTI quoted an ACC source as saying.
Why did India refuse Asia Cup trophy?
After India beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in the Asia Cup final, it took over 90 minutes for the presentation ceremony to begin. While Pakistani players returned to the dressing room, Indian players waited on the field as Asian Cricket Council officials and sponsors kept waiting on the dias for the ceremony to begin. India refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi for his inflamatory statements against India and his role as the Pakistan’s interior minister during India’s military action against terrorist camps inside Pakistan and the subsequent retaliation from Pakistan.
“We have decided not to take the Asia Cup 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. So it is very unfortunate, and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible,” Devajit Saikia, BCCI secretary, told ANI on September 28, after the Asia Cup final.
In fact, Naqvi instructed the trophy to be taken inside as the presentation ceremony ended abruptly. However, before that Indian players accepted other prizes from the sponsors and other officials.
BCCI vs Mohsin Nqvi timeline
| Date | Incident |
|---|---|
| September 14, 2025 | India beat Pakistan in group stage by 7 wickets. But there was no pre or post-match handshakes from Indian players. PCB protests to ICC, alleging provocation. BCCI counters with complaints against Pakistani players (e.g., Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan) “insensitive gestures” like mimicking rifle fire. India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicates India’s win to victims of Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian Army, prompting PCB’s complaint for “political statements.” |
| September 17, 2025 | Pakistan vs UAE group stage match delayed by an hour as PCB threatens to boycott the match over “handshake controversy” and match referee Andy Pycroft’s alleged bias toward India. PCB demands Pycroft’s removal. ICC mediates, confirming an apology and his continuation. Pakistan resume play after Naqvi confirms participation. |
| September 21, 2025 | India meet Pakistan again in the Super 4. Both sides refrained from shaking hands while two separate presenters question two captains. India beat Pakistan by 6 wickets and refuse to shake hands again. |
| September 28, 2025 | Pakistan boycotted pre-final press conference. India defeats Pakistan in the final by 5 wickets. Post-match ceremony delayed by 90 minutes as Indian team refuses to accept the trophy and medals from Naqvi, citing his Pakistani government role and “hostility toward India.” Presentation abruptly ends without Indian awards. Naqvi takes the trophy away, calling it “pre-planned unsporting behaviour.” BCCI labels it “unsporting”. |
| September 28, 2025 | Trophy row escalates. BCCI vows to protest at ICC conference, accusing Naqvi of violating spirit of cricket. ACC defers resolution to Test nations (BCCI, PCB, SLC, ACB, BCB) in a smaller meeting. |
| October 10, 2025 | Dispute unresolved. BCCI prepares ICC escalation as Naqvi refuses to send over the trophy. |
| October 21, 2025 | BCCI sends an email to ACC along with Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. But Mohsin Naqvi responds to BCCI’s email, saying that the Indian board can send a player or official to collect the Asia Cup trophy from ACC office in Dubai after attending an official ceremony. BCCI refuses. BCCI is all set to seek ICC’s intervention at the meeting next month. |
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