Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has reportedly apologised to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the dramatic turn of events that followed the Asia Cup 2025 final on September 28.

Sources told India Today that Naqvi adopted a conciliatory tone during the subsequent ACC meeting, attempting to ease tensions after his refusal to let the Indian team celebrate with the Asia Cup trophy on the field sparked widespread outrage.

According to insiders, Naqvi admitted that the post-match confrontation “should never have escalated” and conveyed regret to Indian representatives. The controversy began when, following India’s refusal to accept the trophy directly from Naqvi, the ACC chief instructed officials to remove the trophy and medals from the venue, denying the winners their customary celebration.

BCCI’s Firm Response

During the virtual ACC session held on September 30, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla strongly criticised Naqvi’s conduct. Shukla stressed that the Asia Cup trophy is ACC property, not a personal possession of the PCB chief.

He condemned Naqvi’s reported move to take the trophy and medals to his hotel room, calling it inappropriate and unprofessional, and demanded that the trophy be formally handed over to India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav without further delay.

Earlier, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had taken a jibe at Naqvi, stating that India’s decision to decline the trophy presentation was deliberate — but that did not justify removing the award from the winners.

“We consciously chose not to accept the trophy from the ACC chairman. But that doesn’t give him the right to take it away,” Saikia remarked. “It was unsporting and disappointing. The trophy and medals should be returned to India immediately.”

Naqvi’s Defiance Continues

Despite offering an apology, Naqvi has reportedly refused to send the trophy back to India. Instead, he maintained that Team India’s captain must personally visit the ACC office in Dubai to collect it — a proposal the BCCI flatly rejected.

Officials questioned the logic of the demand, pointing out that no team captain has ever been asked to travel abroad to receive a trophy after officially winning a tournament.

Fallout and Impact

The dispute has further strained cricketing ties between India and Pakistan, shifting focus away from India’s dominant title win and casting a shadow over what should have been a celebratory moment for the champions.

Observers say the controversy highlights deepening tensions within Asian cricket governance and raises concerns over political overreach in sports administration.