India’s win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final should have been remembered for the cricket, not a boardroom drama. Instead, the spotlight has shifted to a trophy fiasco that refuses to die down.
At the Asian Cricket Council meeting on Sept. 30, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla cornered PCB chief and ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi. He questioned why the Indian team was denied its rightful presentation moment.
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The controversy erupted after India refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, forcing him to whisk it away to his hotel room. Naqvi’s move has left tempers flaring across the cricketing world.
Rajeev Shukla slams Mohsin Naqvi over Asia Cup trophy fiasco
Representing India at the ACC meeting, Shukla made it clear the BCCI wouldn’t let the issue slide. He grilled Naqvi for “not handing the trophy to the victorious Indian team.”
Shukla reminded him that the silverware “is the property of the ACC, not Naqvi himself.” He demanded the matter be resolved immediately, insisting that the trophy “needs to be handed to India in a proper manner.”
The exchange grew tense as Naqvi defended himself, saying he was made to “look like a cartoon” and pointing out that India had never given anything in writing about refusing the trophy from him. When Shukla pressed further, Naqvi deflected, claiming the discussion should take place “on a different platform.”
BCCI fumes as Naqvi refuses to hand trophy, skips India congratulations
The situation spiraled when Naqvi refused to congratulate India for their Asia Cup victory, forcing BCCI’s Ashish Shelar to intervene.
Even then, Naqvi dug in his heels on the trophy handover, saying it would “need to be discussed.” India, adamant the matter was non-negotiable, even offered to collect the trophy directly from the ACC office.
The BCCI is now preparing to file an official complaint with the ICC. Videos from the final showed an ACC official running away with the trophy before it was taken to Naqvi’s hotel room.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the sequence, while captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed India was “denied the chance to celebrate.”
India may have secured a five-wicket win in the Asia Cup final, but their moment of triumph has been clouded by an unprecedented row that has left the BCCI and ACC at loggerheads.