'Mohsin Naqvi ruined Pakistan cricket' - Imran Khan blasts PCB chief after Asia Cup trophy fiasco vs India

Mayank Bande

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'Mohsin Naqvi ruined Pakistan cricket' - Imran Khan blasts PCB chief after Asia Cup trophy fiasco vs India image

On Sunday, India won their eighth consecutive match against Pakistan to successfully defend the Asia Cup title.

In an emphatic last over finish, Tilak Varma's 69*(53) took the Men in Blue who were 20/3 at one stage, to set up a victory bg five wickets.

While India's third win over Pakistan in the competition left the team embarrassed on the field, Mohsin Naqvi's one-sided ego battle with the BCCI has led to sharp criticizm as he continues to hold India's trophy days after the final.

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Among the vocal critics of Naqvi's move has been the former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, who felt Pakistan cricket's image has been tarnished under the current leadership.

Imran Khan criticizes Mohsin Naqvi as India waits for the Asia Cup Trophy

Upon winning the tournament, India refused to be presented the trophy by Naqvi, who is the current Asian Cricket Council and Pakistan Cricket Board chair, while he also serves as the Interior Minister in the government.

This was India showing solidarity towards the armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan over the summer.

READ MORE: When will Mohsin Naqvi return India's Asia Cup trophy? Has the PCB chief taken it into personal custody?

As Naqvi took away the trophy from the dais, where Suryakumar Yadav was supposed to be presented with it, he drew strong criticizm from Imran, who found the situation deeply awkward from PCB's point of view.

"What Mohsin Naqvi is doing to cricket is exactly what Army Chief Gen Asim Munir is doing to Pakistan," said the former Pakistan Prime Minister, implying the ruined reputation of the nation on a global scale.

Pakistan's World Cup 1992 winning captain, who has represented them in 88 Tests and 175 ODIs for his 7516 international runs and 544 wickets is currently serving a jail sentence, facing various charges.

With over 48 hours passed after the final, India still waits to be presented by the trophy on Wednesday as they prepare for the upcoming West Indies series.

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Mayank Bande

Mayank Bande has been a content producer at The Sporting News since 2023 and has extensive experience in cricket writing. His work has previously appeared on platforms like OneCricket and Last Word on Sports. Beyond cricket, Mayank closely follows football as an FC Barcelona supporter, along with tennis and Olympic sports. Despite holding a degree in Business Administration, he chose to pursue a career in sports, bringing sharp analysis to his writing as someone who once played cricket.