New Delhi, Oct 10: In a major embarrassment for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Asia Cup trophy — which India won last month — remains locked away in the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Dubai headquarters after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi allegedly issued strict orders that it must not be moved or handed over without his explicit approval.
The incident, which has left Indian cricket officials red-faced, stems from the Indian team’s refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as ACC chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister.
Following the awkward exchange at the presentation ceremony, Naqvi reportedly walked away with the trophy, and despite BCCI’s objections, it has remained in Dubai ever since.
“Naqvi has made it clear that the trophy will not be moved without his presence and approval,” said a source close to the PCB Chairman. “He intends to personally hand it over to the Indian team or the BCCI — but only on his terms.”
India had defeated Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup on September 28 in Dubai, but the win has been overshadowed by the continuing standoff between the two cricket boards.
The BCCI’s inability to retrieve the trophy more than ten days after the event has raised questions about its influence within the ACC — an organisation it once dominated.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have further escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, but observers note that the BCCI’s strong rhetoric has not translated into decisive action.
Despite its promises to raise the issue at the upcoming ICC meeting, there has been no concrete move from the Indian board to reclaim the trophy or hold Naqvi accountable.
Naqvi, meanwhile, has been openly defiant, using his social media platforms to make politically charged remarks and asserting his authority as ACC Chairman. His stance has been interpreted by many as a direct snub to the BCCI, exposing the latter’s waning control over regional cricket politics.
“The fact that a trophy India rightfully won is still lying in Dubai under another board’s instruction is a huge dent in BCCI’s image,” remarked a senior cricket administrator on condition of anonymity.
“This would have been unthinkable a few years ago.”
While the BCCI has indicated that it may push for Naqvi’s censure or even removal from his ICC position, insiders are sceptical.
With the trophy still locked up and no sign of resolution, the episode has come to symbolise the board’s growing struggle to assert itself against an increasingly combative PCB leadership.
For now, India’s Asia Cup triumph remains incomplete — not on the field, but in the boardroom — where the BCCI appears to have lost both control and face. (PTI)
