Asia Cup trophy fiasco: Did Mohsin Naqvi apologize to BCCI? Pakistan minister asks Indian team to collect it from him

The Asia Cup 2025 final has triggered a fresh storm of controversies, with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi firmly denying reports that he apologised to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the trophy handover controversy.

In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Naqvi said, “I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so. This fabricated nonsense is nothing but cheap propaganda, aimed only at misleading their own people.”

Naqvi added that politics was being dragged into cricket, damaging the sport’s spirit. He said he had been ready to hand over the Asia Cup trophy on the day of the final and still was. “If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me,” he said.

The issue began after India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai but declined to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who was supposed to present it. The decision was seen as a symbolic snub amid heightened political tensions between the two nations.

At the subsequent ACC annual meeting, the BCCI is said to have raised "strong objection" over India not being presented the winner's trophy of the Asia Cup but the body's chairman Mohsin Naqvi remained defiant by "still not agreeing" to it.

BCCI officials reportedly demanded the trophy be delivered in keeping with cricketing protocol. However, Naqvi refused, insisting that the Indian team should collect it themselves. The BCCI later called the episode “unsportsmanlike” and has indicated it may escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

India and Pakistan played each other thrice in the tournament with India winning each time, including the final. Suryakumar Yadav & Co maintained a 'no handshake policy' with Pakistan players during the event, infuriating the PCB.

After the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed lives of 26 Indian tourists, the hostilities between the two neighbours are at an all-time high.

India had subsequently launched military action under 'Operation Sindoor' to dismantle terror infrastructure across the border.