Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed to CNN-News18 that the ICC has facilitated informal discussions between the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board in the hope of a resolution to the ongoing controversy related to the Asia Cup trophy.
Saikia disclosed that though the issue was not on the agenda of the International Cricket Council board meetings this week, the matter was raised in an informal manner upon India’s request. “Yesterday, there were two meetings—an informal board meeting followed by the formal ICC board meeting. All board directors, including representatives from India and Pakistan, were present,” Saikia said. “The agenda did not include the Asia Cup controversy, so it wasn’t discussed officially.
But at our request, the ICC facilitated an off-the-board discussion between India and Pakistan in the presence of senior ICC board directors.”
#BreakingNews | Asia Cup Trophy dispute: PCB Chief agrees to settle
BCCI’s Secreatry Devajit Saikia calls talks with PCB’s Naqvi ‘good’@lonsaikia joins us for more insights@aami_aakash gets you more details #BCCI #AsiaCupTrophy | @akankshaswarups pic.twitter.com/0GNw2ZsZ8w
— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 8, 2025
According to Saikia, both boards showed a strong desire to bring the matter to an amicable close. “Both India and Pakistan want to solve this issue. It has been going on for nearly three months, and the trophy has still not reached India. It was in BCCI’s interest to take up the matter, and the ICC decided that discussions should continue between the two parties in the presence of senior ICC officials. That has now been done so that a peaceful resolution can be found,” he said.
Saikia sounded optimistic about a breakthrough. “At present, I think this issue will be resolved soon,” he said.
The controversy erupted following the final of the 2025 Asia Cup, in which India defeated Pakistan convincingly. The aftermath of India’s five-wicket triumph over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final in Dubai took a dramatic twist when the Indian players refused to receive the trophy and medals from PCB chairman and Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who has often been in the headlines for anti-India remarks.
Tempers flared during the post-match presentation following India’s thumping victory, after it emerged that the players refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, also the Interior Minister of Pakistan. Thereafter, Naqvi refused to move out of the way, and that created a moment of standoff on the dais.
It was a first-of-its-kind act, as the presentation area had Naqvi walk out along with the officials of ACC, carrying the trophy away before the completion of the ceremony. Taking it in good humour, the Indian players celebrated their victory by posing with “imaginary” trophies and even medals and coffee cups for photographs on the field. According to reports, the actual Asia Cup trophy remains secured inside the ACC headquarters near the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with staff allegedly instructed not to release it without Naqvi’s explicit approval.
