Daijiworld Media Network – Dubai
Dubai, Oct 1: A controversy of diplomatic proportions has erupted in the cricketing world as Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi finds himself at the centre of a storm, accused of refusing to hand over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to champions India — an act now dubbed the ‘trophy stealing’ incident by BCCI insiders.
In retaliation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly pushing for Naqvi’s impeachment, while Naqvi has countered by telling India they are “welcome” to collect the trophy from the ACC office in Dubai.
The incident occurred after the Asia Cup final, which India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, won unbeaten. However, the trophy, which traditionally is presented on the field to the winning team, was reportedly taken by Naqvi to his hotel room, bypassing ceremonial protocols.
Sources within the BCCI claim that Naqvi, also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s interior minister, allowed personal and political biases to override his duties as a neutral head of a regional sporting body.
According to officials who participated in a heated virtual ACC meeting on Tuesday, Naqvi was directly confronted by BCCI representatives Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar. “The trophy belongs to the winners. It’s not the personal property of anyone,” a BCCI official told NDTV, adding that Naqvi’s refusal to hand it over had brought embarrassment to the ACC and tarnished the credibility of the tournament.
Sources say BCCI is accusing Naqvi of violating ceremonial protocols, abusing his office, and breaching the ACC code of conduct. The act has been labelled as one of “petulance” and “conflict of interest”, with suggestions that national and political sentiment influenced his conduct.
Further adding to the fallout, Naqvi reportedly refused to offer a formal congratulation to the Indian side during the ACC meeting and has not issued any apology for the incident. While the ACC has expressed “regret” informally, no resolution has been reached.
However, in a post on social media platform X, Naqvi categorically denied any wrongdoing. “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.
Naqvi also dismissed reports that he apologised during the ACC AGM. “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 stated.
With the BCCI reportedly set to escalate the matter to the ICC during its upcoming November meeting, the incident has now taken on wider implications for cricket governance in the region.
The trophy, meanwhile, remains with the UAE Cricket Board, with no clarity on when or how it will be officially handed over to Team India.