New Delhi, Oct 1: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chief and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi continues to make an issue even after apologising to the BCCI for the chaotic post-final scenes of September 28, as the Asia Cup 2025 trophy and medal standoff drags on.
While Naqvi softened his tone at the ACC meeting on September 30, his stance has only deepened the controversy. As per reports, Naqvi expressed regret at the ACC meeting on September 30, he stood firm on one condition: if India wanted the trophy and medals, their captain should personally collect them from the ACC office in Dubai.
BCCI pushes back
The BCCI, however, has rejected this condition outright, insisting that such a requirement was never part of the tournament's established protocols. Board's Vice-President
Rajeev Shukla made the Indian board's stance clear, arguing that the trophy belongs to the ACC institution, not to any individual.
He criticised Naqvi for taking both the trophy and medals without conducting a proper handover. "Apology accepted, but hand over the trophy as per protocols," Shukla said.
Earlier, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had already framed India's decision in blunt terms, "We have decided not to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the senior leaders of Pakistan. That was a conscious decision. "
Saikia added that Naqvi's action was "extremely unfortunate and unsportsmanlike," stressing that the Indian team expects the silverware to be returned under official procedures.
A clash of protocol vs power play
Reports suggest that despite softening his tone, Naqvi remained unmoved on the matter of returning the trophy. His insistence that India's captain must travel to Dubai has only deepened the standoff.
The BCCI counters that ceremonial protocols are not symbolic niceties but part of the shared grammar of international sport. By holding onto the trophy, Naqvi risks converting a routine ceremony into a political flashpoint.
India's response, anchored on institutional ownership and due process, seeks to restore normalcy by insisting on a public, rule-book handover. Yet, as long as the trophy remains outside India's possession, the controversy remains alive.
For a tournament already marred by tense India-Pakistan optics, the "apology without restitution" frame ensures the issue is far from settled. Until the trophy and medals are returned through a clean, transparent, and protocol-compliant ceremony, the Asia Cup 2025 silverware saga will continue to dominate headlines.
