Dignitaries waiting on the presentation platform as India players refused to reappear for the trophy presentation after they won the Asia Cup cricket final against Pakistan on September 28, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday (October 1, 2025) said the Indian team is “welcome” to collect the Asia Cup trophy from him at the continental body’s office head office in Dubai as controversy around the champions being denied the top prize continued to rage.
In a post on X, Mr. Naqvi rejected reports claiming that he, at the ACC AGM on Tuesday (September 30), apologised to BCCI officials for his actions at the presentation ceremony on Sunday (September 28) when he walked away with the trophy after the Indians refused to accept it from him.
Mr. Naqvi is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and interior minister of his country with a pronounced anti-India political position.
“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 wrote.
“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,” he added.
Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla had represented the BCCI in the ACC AGM where they raised a strong objection over the trophy not being duly handed over to the Suryakumar Yadav-led side which beat Pakistan in the final.
Mr. Naqvi had told the BCCI officials on Tuesday (September 30) that he was ready to give the trophy to the Indian team. However, no decision on that issue was taken in the A.G.M., upsetting the BCCI top brass further.
The BCCI will take the matter to the ICC which will have its meeting in November.
The two teams played each other thrice in the tournament with India winning each time, including the final. India maintained a ‘no handshake policy’ with Pakistan players during the event, infuriating the P.C.B..
Published – October 01, 2025 05:35 pm IST
