Asia Cup row: Naqvi refuses to release trophy despite BCCI’s new request

Dubai: The Asia Cup trophy saga shows no signs of resolution, with the silverware still locked away at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) headquarters in Dubai. ACC President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has reportedly refused to release the trophy to India, despite a formal request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Sources say Naqvi has instead proposed holding a formal presentation ceremony, insisting that a BCCI representative travel to Dubai to collect the trophy in person — a condition the BCCI has declined. The matter is now expected to be raised at the upcoming ICC meeting.

“BCCI secretary Jay Shah, ACC representative Rajeev Shukla, along with officials from Sri Lanka Cricket and the Afghanistan board, had jointly written to Naqvi last week requesting the handover,” an ACC source told PTI. “Naqvi’s response was firm: the trophy must be collected in Dubai. With BCCI standing its ground, the issue remains unresolved.”

The trophy has remained in Dubai since India’s win over Pakistan in the final last month. The Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, declined to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister. Their refusal followed heightened tensions during the tournament, especially after Indian players opted not to shake hands with the Pakistani team in a show of solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Following the team’s rejection, Naqvi reportedly left the venue with the trophy — a highly unusual and controversial move that has now sparked an international cricketing standoff.