India and Pakistan’s rivalry flared again over the Asia Cup Trophy, which stayed with the ACC in Dubai, as Mohsin Naqvi insisted on handing it over personally.
Asia Cup Trophy Standoff Continues Between India and Pakistan
The dispute over the Asia Cup Trophy shows no sign of ending, weeks after India defeated Pakistan in a tense final. The trophy, which should have been presented to the victorious Indian team on September 28, remains locked inside the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) headquarters in Dubai under strict instructions from ACC Chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi.
Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, reportedly removed the trophy from the presentation stage after the Indian team refused to accept it from him during the post-match ceremony. The tensions were already high following the Pahalgam terror attack, and the tournament highlighted a broader breakdown in diplomatic sporting gestures between the two nations.
A source close to Naqvi told PTI, “As of today, the trophy is still in ACC offices in Dubai with clear instructions from Naqvi that it should not be moved or handed over to anyone without his approval and in-person presence.” The source added, “Naqvi has given clear instructions that only he will hand over the trophy in person (whenever that happens) to the Indian team or BCCI.”
The episode has intensified the already fraught atmosphere of the tournament, which saw Indian players avoid handshakes with Pakistani counterparts and multiple political gestures on the field. Naqvi further fueled controversy with politically charged social media remarks during the event, and his decision to physically remove the trophy without allowing any BCCI or Indian representative to formally receive it has sparked a diplomatic and cricketing standoff.
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