The post-Asia Cup controversy between India and Pakistan seems far from over. Despite India’s dominant win over Pakistan in the final on September 28, reports now suggest that the Asia Cup trophy remains locked inside the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) headquarters in Dubai.
According to multiple sources, ACC Chairman and PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi has given explicit orders that the trophy should not be moved or handed over to anyone in his absence.
Asia Cup Trophy Locked Under Mohsin Naqvi’s Instructions
The drama reportedly began after the final presentation ceremony when Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, allegedly carried the trophy away himself after the Indian team declined to receive it from him. The tense moment unfolded amid strained relations between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, which cast a political shadow over the tournament.
“𝑨𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝑪𝑪 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑫𝒖𝒃𝒂𝒊 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒂𝒒𝒗𝒊 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏-𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆,” 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑯𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔.
The source further added,
“𝑵𝒂𝒒𝒗𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝑪𝑪𝑰 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔.”
BCCI to Raise Matter at ICC Meeting
Naqvi’s move has intensified the already hostile environment between the two boards. During the Asia Cup, Indian players were seen avoiding handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts, and both teams exchanged subtle political gestures on and off the field.
Meanwhile, the BCCI is reportedly preparing to raise the issue at the upcoming ICC Board Meeting, where discussions could include a formal censure of Naqvi or even a move to seek his removal as ICC Director.
The controversy has only added to the long list of flashpoints between the cricketing neighbours, ensuring that the Asia Cup 2025 will be remembered as much for its off-field politics as for the action on the pitch.
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