ACC chief faces humiliation after India’s protest
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi reportedly admitted he “felt like a cartoon” and was “embarrassed” while waiting for the Indian team at the dais of the Dubai International Cricket Stadium after the Asia Cup 2025 final. According to PTI, Naqvi made this confession during the ACC’s meeting in Dubai on Tuesday.
India, having edged Pakistan in a tense last-over thriller, stunned the cricketing world by refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy and medals. The protest was directed at Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister and PCB chairman, with Indian players objecting to his history of hostile anti-India remarks.
Trophy stand-off at the presentation
Despite strong objections from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Naqvi refused to step aside during the presentation. India had suggested neutral figures such as Khalid Al Zarooni of the Emirates Cricket Board or Bangladesh’s Aminul Islam to conduct the ceremony, but Naqvi rejected the alternatives.
The standoff lasted nearly an hour, ending in dramatic scenes as Naqvi walked off with ACC officials carrying the trophy. Indian players responded with improvised celebrations, lifting imaginary cups on the field in front of fans.
BCCI lodges objections
BCCI officials Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar raised formal objections at the ACC meeting over Naqvi’s handling of the presentation. They alleged that Naqvi took the trophy back to his hotel instead of submitting it to the ACC headquarters in Delhi, further souring relations.
Adding to the controversy, CNN-News18 reported that Naqvi failed to congratulate India during his official remarks at the meeting. While acknowledging Nepal’s win against the West Indies and Mongolia’s induction into the ACC, he ignored India’s Asia Cup victory until Shelar questioned him directly. Naqvi then offered reluctant congratulations.
Naqvi’s humiliating admission
During closed-door discussions, Naqvi conceded that the episode left him humiliated. “I felt like a cartoon standing there,” he is quoted as saying by a source. The admission underlines the extraordinary tension between the BCCI and the ACC chief.
However, Naqvi maintained that the issue should not be part of the ACC’s Annual General Meeting, suggesting it be taken up separately. The AGM, which was meant to elect a vice-chairman, ended without a resolution on either the election or the trophy controversy.
Conclusion: Strained cricketing ties
The Asia Cup controversy has further strained cricketing ties in the region, with the trophy presentation fiasco becoming a flashpoint in India-Pakistan sporting relations. While India celebrated its win without the physical trophy, the standoff has cast a long shadow over the credibility of the ACC and the leadership of Mohsin Naqvi.