The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that it will launch a “strong and serious” protest against Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi during the ICC conference in Dubai later this year. The announcement comes in the wake of the controversial conclusion of the Asia Cup 2025, which saw Indian players refuse to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
India Refuses To Collect Asia Cup 2025 Trophy From Mohsiv Naqvi
The post-match presentation, delayed by 45 minutes, ended abruptly when the Indian team collectively decided against engaging with Naqvi on stage.
Following the incident, Naqvi quickly left the stage and exited the stadium premises. Reports now reveal that he personally ensured that the Asia Cup trophy was not handed to India by anyone else. Despite clear resistance from Suryakumar Yadav and the Indian team, Naqvi insisted on giving away the trophy himself.
Throughout the tournament, Naqvi had been at the centre of several controversies. Allegations emerged that he repeatedly favoured Pakistan, overlooking his responsibility as ACC chairman. From the no-handshake controversy to calling for the removal of match referee Paul Pycroft, Naqvi remained a contentious figure. He even threatened to boycott the tournament if his demands were not met.
Mohsiv Naqvi Mocks Indian Fans
Adding to the tensions, Naqvi posted a video on X mocking Indian fans. The post, referencing Pakistan’s claims of downing Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, which are wrong, used a Cristiano Ronaldo clip out of context, drawing widespread criticism.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia expressed the board’s disapproval, “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. This does not give him the right to take the trophy and the medals with him. It is extremely unfortunate and unsportsmanlike. We hope the trophy and medals will be returned to India as soon as possible.”
Saikia further stated, “There is an ICC conference scheduled in Dubai this November, and at that conference, we will launch a very serious and strong protest against the actions of the ACC chairman.”
BCCI Officials Absent at Asia Cup 2025 Final
Notably, no BCCI official was present at the Dubai International Stadium for the Asia Cup final. The board held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, where Mithun Manhas officially became the 37th President of the BCCI. Devajit Saikia was reinstated as Secretary, while Rajeev Shukla retained his position as Vice President.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
