In an unprecedented turn of events, Pakistan’s Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), “took away” the Asia Cup trophy. He carried the trophy and the medals meant for the Indian players back to his hotel. The reason: Team India had refused to accept the trophy from him.
On Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling final to lift the Asia Cup. However, what followed was 90 minutes of complete drama.
The Indian players rushed onto the ground with their families. Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s wife Devisha, head coach Gautam Gambhir’s wife Natasha, and their daughters were present and visibly overjoyed. Just 20–25 yards away, Mohsin Naqvi stood with his group, as ACC and PCB chairman.
It is understood that BCCI had already informed ACC that the team would not receive the trophy from Naqvi, who is known for his anti-India stance.
A few days earlier, Naqvi had posted a video of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating a goal with an “air crash” gesture—interpreted as a mocking reference to Pakistan’s claim that six Indian jets were shot down during Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam terror attack. Naqvi was also behind Pakistan’s demand that Suryakumar Yadav, who showed solidarity with Indian armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam attack, be charged with an ICC Level 4 offence. Throughout the tournament, the Indian players had avoided shaking hands with Pakistani cricketers.
After the final, Pakistani players stayed in their dressing room for over an hour.
It was reported that Team India was ready to receive the trophy from anyone on stage except Naqvi. Khalid Al Jarooni of Dubai Sports City was also on stage and could have presented the trophy to India. But the Indian team refused to step up as long as Naqvi stayed, and Naqvi refused to leave.
A senior BCCI official said: “If Naqvi had tried to forcefully hand over the trophy, we would have lodged an official complaint.”
Meanwhile, presenter Simon Doull went ahead with announcing individual sponsor awards. Pakistani players later collected their prizes from Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam Bulbul.
Doull then declared: “ACC has informed me that the Indian team will not take their awards today, and the post-match ceremony ends here.”
Naqvi stepped down from the stage and walked towards the exit. The ACC tournament staff took the trophy away, shocking everyone present.
Bulbul, known to be close to Naqvi, told the media outside the stadium that the ceremony had to be cut short because India refused to accept the trophy.
The Indian team and support staff continued their celebrations near the podium, clicking pictures even without the trophy.
BCCI President Devajit Saikia later said in Mumbai: “We refused to take the trophy from the ACC President and a top Pakistani leader, but that does not give him the right to take the trophy and medals back to his hotel. This is unprecedented, highly childish, and we will register a strong protest with the ICC during its upcoming meeting in Dubai in the first week of November.”
When asked about the controversy, Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha defended Naqvi, saying: “He is the ACC President, and it is his right to hand over the trophy.”
India-Pakistan matches are considered the “golden goose” of global cricket broadcasting, and efforts are always made to schedule as many of their encounters as possible in multi-nation tournaments.
But this dramatic incident in Dubai has soured relations further, leaving stakeholders to wonder whether these high-profile clashes are worth the increasing hostility, clearly visible during the Asia Cup.