India-Pakistan row over Asia Cup Trophy escalates as PCB Chief refuses apology

October 1, 2025

New Delhi: The fallout from the Asia Cup final has intensified, with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi categorically refusing to apologise to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Contradicting earlier media reports that suggested he had expressed regret during the ACC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Dubai on Tuesday, Naqvi took to social media platform X to dismiss the claims. “I have done nothing wrong and will never apologise to the BCCI,” Naqvi wrote.

The controversy erupted after Sunday’s Asia Cup final in Dubai, where the Indian team, despite defeating Pakistan, was denied the presentation of the trophy on stage. The BCCI’s representatives—Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla—raised strong objections at the AGM, accusing Naqvi of mishandling the post-match ceremony. Several member boards reportedly backed the Indian side, leaving the PCB chief isolated.

Adding fuel to the row, Naqvi remarked that if the Indian team truly wanted the Asia Cup trophy, they were “welcome to collect it from the ACC headquarters.” The comment has sparked further criticism, with Indian officials viewing it as a deliberate slight.

Although Naqvi conveyed during the AGM that he was prepared to hand over the trophy, the impasse could not be resolved. Sources indicated that the BCCI is now planning to escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), which will convene in November.

The latest cricketing spat comes against the backdrop of heightened political and security tensions between the two neighbours, following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent ‘Operation Sindoor.’

India and Pakistan clashed three times during the Asia Cup, with India emerging victorious in each encounter, including the final, further aggravating the PCB’s discomfort.

The dispute over the trophy presentation has now snowballed into a diplomatic flashpoint within cricketing circles, raising concerns about future bilateral and multilateral engagements between India and Pakistan.