What’s happening with the Asia Cup trophy? BCCI raises strong objection over fiasco

Dubai: The controversy surrounding the Asia Cup 2025 trophy shows no signs of resolution. During the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Annual General Body Meeting (AGM), held virtually on Tuesday, no agreement was reached on the issue — prompting the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to consider escalating the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The BCCI strongly objected to the ACC’s failure to present the Asia Cup trophy to India following their victory in the final against Pakistan. Reports indicate that the issue was raised during the AGM, with BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla and former treasurer Ashish Shelar representing the Indian board in the meeting held in Dubai.

India did not receive the trophy after winning the final, having refused to accept it from ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. It is believed that Shukla questioned Naqvi directly about the incident during the meeting, but no firm resolution was reached. A final decision is now expected to come from the ACC’s Test-playing member nations.

The final itself was marred by post-match drama. The presentation ceremony was delayed by over an hour as Pakistan players reportedly stalled proceedings. Once the ceremony concluded, Indian players mocked the situation — Suryakumar Yadav carried an “imaginary” trophy. The team followed up with mock celebrations, and several players later shared photoshopped images of themselves holding a trophy on social media. Further tensions arose during the ACC meeting when Naqvi reportedly failed to acknowledge India’s triumph in his opening remarks. It was only after Shelar intervened that the ACC Chair congratulated India on their tournament win. Despite the awkwardness, Naqvi remained evasive on the issue of officially awarding the trophy and winner’s medals, leading to frustration within the Indian camp.

With no resolution in sight, the standoff continues to cast a shadow over the Asia Cup’s credibility and raises questions about the ACC’s handling of key tournament protocols.