LAHORE—Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) head Mohsin Naqvi has forcefully denied claims circulating in the Indian media that he apologized to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the Asia Cup trophy presentation row.
Naqvi took to social media platform X to reject the reports, labeling them as “fabricated nonsense and cheap propaganda” aimed at misleading the Indian public.
“This fabricated nonsense is nothing but cheap propaganda, aimed only at misleading their own people,” Naqvi posted. “I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so.”
The Trophy Standoff
The controversy surrounds the unpresented Asia Cup 2025 trophy, which India won. The dispute follows a series of incidents during the tournament, including reports of Indian players snubbing handshakes and refusing to receive the trophy from Naqvi, who is also an official from Pakistan.
During a routine ACC meeting in Dubai on Tuesday, the trophy row intensified:
- Naqvi’s Stance: ACC sources revealed that BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla repeatedly demanded that Naqvi hand over the trophy. Naqvi reportedly refused, asserting that the silverware should be collected by the Indian skipper in person. He noted that the issue was not on the meeting’s agenda.
- Open Invitation: Naqvi reaffirmed his position, stating he was ready to hand over the trophy on the final day and remains ready now. He concluded with a challenge: “If they [India] truly want it [trophy], they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me.”
- BCCI Reaction: BCCI officials, who attended the meeting virtually, reacted sharply to Naqvi’s refusal, demanding that the trophy be transferred instead to the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters. Following this heated exchange, the BCCI delegation abruptly left the meeting and cut its digital feed.
Naqvi also took a jibe at the persistent politicisation of cricket in India, stating, “Unfortunately, India continues to drag politics into cricket, damaging the very spirit of the game.”
