The fire around the Asia Cup 2025 trophy has gotten a fresh batch of fuel after Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi refuted rumours of apologising to the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) via a post on X on Wednesday. He also said that the Indian cricket team can come pick up the trophy from ACC's headquarters in Dubai.
On Sunday, Naqvi had left with the trophy in hand after the winning Indian team refused to accept it from his hands. Since then, many media reports have claimed that the chairman has apologised to the BCCI at the ACC AGM on Tuesday.
Naqvi shut down the rumors and said, "Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so."
He added, "As ACC President, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me."
Naqvi is also serving as the Federal Minister of Interior and Narcotics Control since March 2024 in Pakistan.
At the ACC AGM, on behalf of the BCCI, Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla voiced their vehement disapproval of the trophy not being properly given to the Suryakumar Yadav-captained team that defeated Pakistan in the final.
On Tuesday, Naqvi informed BCCI officials that he was ready to present the Indian team with the trophy. The senior brass of the BCCI was further discontent at the AGM as no conclusive decision took place on the matter.
The matter will be brought forward by the BCCI to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in November.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was infuriated with the Indian players' "no handshake policy" with their Pakistani counterparts during the whole tournament. India defeated Pakistan in all three of the matches that took place between the two teams.
Many subdued issues surrounding the Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor surfaced during these matches. In April, a deadly militant ambush in Kashmir's Pahalgam valley had left 26 tourists, mostly Hindus, dead, triggering nationwide alarm.
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