Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has responded to claims that he has apologised to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Naqvi, who’s also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, has categorically denied that he ‘bowed down’ to the BCCI during the ACC Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 30.
The meeting was called in Dubai in the aftermath of the Asia Cup trophy debacle. Reports suggested that Naqvi wasn’t interested in talking about the matter, while BCCI was adamant about discussing it.
Naqvi’s approach caused tension, and other cricket boards had to step in to diffuse the situation. In the end, BCCI’s representatives Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla reportedly walked out of the virtual meeting due to it.
Mohsin Naqvi speaks after Asia Cup trophy debacle
Reports also emerged that Naqvi had told people close to him that if India wants the Asia Cup trophy, India captain Suryakumar Yadav can personally come to the ACC office and collect it from him. He said as Team India left the ACC chief stand during the Asia Cup trophy ceremony and, in the end, decided they wouldn’t share the stage with Naqvi.
Annoyed by the tactics, Naqvi took the trophy away and placed it at the ACC office. Naqvi has confirmed that his demand for granting India the Asia Cup trophy is their presence at the ACC office in Dubai. But he didn’t mention Suryakumar at all.
“Indian media thrives on lies, not facts. Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong, and I have never apologized to the BCCI nor will I ever do so. This fabricated nonsense is nothing but cheap propaganda, aimed only at misleading their own people. Unfortunately, India continues to drag politics into cricket, damaging the very spirit of the game. 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,” Naqvi wrote on X.
