Asia Cup Row: BCCI To Knock ICC's Doors On Mohsin Naqvi's Dual Role As Pakistan Minister, Cricket Administrator

The Asia Cup row is set to intensify. It's been close to six weeks since the Indian cricket team won the continental event, but the side is yet to receive the trophy. After India beat Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final on September 28, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side refused to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head. It made for a bizarre scene as the Indian team kept waiting until Naqvi took the trophy away with him. A report claimed that in the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meeting in Dubai this week, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to question Naqvi's conduct during the Asia Cup, as well as his dual role as Pakistan's Interior Minister, which allegedly breaches ICC's governance regulations.

The report in Telecom Asia Sport also claimed, attributing to anonymous sources, that the BCCI has "compiled a list of charges against Naqvi and intends to challenge his eligibility to hold dual public and sporting offices." The report added that the BCCI will have the Afghanistan Cricket Board's (ACB) backing. Pakistan and Afghanistan's relations soured after a recent military strike allegedly killed three Afghan domestic players, leading to Afghanistan withdrawing from a tri-series in Pakistan.

Another report in IANS stated a development on similar lines. “Friday is when all board heads will be meeting in the ICC Board Meeting, and the Asia Cup trophy handover issue—still in limbo—will be raised there by the BCCI. As of now, nothing has emerged on the trophy handover despite a formal letter written to the ACC,” a report by the news agency quoted a source as saying.

Speaking to IANS on November 1, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had indicated plans to raise the grievance around the delay in the trophy handover during the ICC quarterly meetings, adding that a letter regarding the issue was sent to the ACC 10 days ago.

The ongoing standoff over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy comes after India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, defeated Salman Agha's Pakistan side by five wickets at the Dubai International Stadium to secure their ninth Asia Cup title.

But the post-match celebrations took an unbelievable turn when the Indian team opted not to accept the trophy or winner's medals from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman, who also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The refusal, linked to cross-border tensions between the two nations, led to chaotic scenes and an unusual trophy-less victory celebration for India. Despite the BCCI's formal request to resolve the issue, the matter remains unsettled.

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