New Twist in Asia Cup Trophy Row: PCB Chief Naqvi Invites BCCI to Collect Trophy – ‘If You Want the Trophy…’

Sports News: The Asia Cup Trophy controversy, which began a month ago when Team India refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chief and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, shows no signs of cooling down. A major dispute has now erupted between the BCCI and PCB ahead of next month’s International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting, as Naqvi insists on personally presenting the trophy to the Indian team at an event scheduled in Dubai on November 10.

ACC Chief Wants a Ceremony

According to reports by a Pakistani TV news channel, ACC Chief Mohsin Naqvi sent a strong message to the Indian Cricket Board, suggesting that a special ceremony be held where Indian team players and BCCI representatives could receive the Asia Cup Trophy from him as the ACC President.

Trophy Belongs to India

In a sternly worded email, Naqvi reportedly stated, “If you want the trophy, we can organize a ceremony where you can receive it.” Pakistani media further quoted him saying, “The ACC Trophy rightfully belongs to the Indian cricket team and is being held in trust until a BCCI officeholder, along with any available player, can collect it from the ACC President. Such a ceremony would be accompanied by proper fanfare and media coverage, as no deviation from established traditions should occur that could undermine the spirit of the game we all love.”

Why India Refused the Trophy

The controversy began after the Indian men’s cricket team declined to collect their winners’ medals and the Asia Cup Trophy following their victory in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 final held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 29. The standoff reportedly stemmed from tensions between the Indian team and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), as players refused to accept the silverware from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).The post-match presentation, delayed by nearly an hour, saw only a few Indian players — Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Tilak Varma — step forward to receive individual performance awards. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha collected the runners-up cheque.

Player Achievements

Kuldeep was later honoured as the tournament’s top wicket-taker, while opener Abhishek Sharma earned the Player of the Tournament title for amassing 314 runs in seven innings at an average of 44.85.However, the event concluded without India lifting the winner’s trophy. Presenter Simon Doull announced, “I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. That concludes the post-match presentation.”