The saga surrounding the ownership of the 2025 Asia Cup trophy continues to dominate cricketing headlines, but Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has made his stance clear.
The PCB Chairman has hit back strongly at Indian media reports suggesting he had apologized to the BCCI over the unresolved trophy handover. In an official statement on social media, Naqvi branded the claims as “cheap propaganda,” making it clear he had never apologized. and never would.
“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,” Naqvi said.
The controversy stems from India’s refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy after defeating Pakistan in the final in Dubai on Sunday. Reports at the time confirmed that the Indian team had been instructed by its board to avoid collecting the silverware from Naqvi, who also heads the PCB. The refusal, combined with India’s “no handshake” policy during the tournament, escalated tensions between the two cricket boards.
At a recent ACC meeting in Dubai, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla repeatedly pushed for the trophy to be sent to India, but Naqvi declined. Instead, he insisted that if India wanted the trophy, its captain could collect it directly from the ACC office.
Reiterating that position, Naqvi said:
“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 Chairman, 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.”
Mohsin Naqvi has taken a hardline approach with the BCCI since assuming the PCB chairmanship, and his stance on the Asia Cup trophy issue isn’t likely to soften anytime soon. The Asia Cup trophy row, already a flashpoint in Indo-Pak cricketing relations, now looks set to drag on further, with both sides unwilling to back down.