KARACHI; The dispute over the Asia Cup trophy, which India refused to collect during last month’s closing ceremony amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, remains unresolved, according to Indian media reports.
On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly reached out to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi to arrange the trophy handover.
Naqvi, who also chairs the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), told reporters in Karachi that the ACC had informed the BCCI about plans to hold a formal ceremony in Dubai on December 10 to present India with the trophy.
Sources close to the ACC revealed that Naqvi intends to personally hand over the trophy following the controversy that erupted after India’s five-wicket victory against Pakistan in last month’s final at the Dubai International Stadium.
The closing ceremony had turned chaotic when the Indian team refused to receive the winners’ trophy from Naqvi. There were no traditional handshakes before the match either, as India reportedly declined the gesture.
Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha accused India of “disrespecting cricket,” while Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav claimed his team had been “denied the trophy” despite winning the final — further fuelling the tension between the two sides.
Days after the incident, Naqvi posted on X that “if they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me.”
The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that cricket boards from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka supported BCCI’s request to Naqvi. However, Naqvi has insisted that a BCCI representative personally receive the trophy at the ACC headquarters in Dubai — a condition the Indian board has rejected.
PTI also quoted an ACC insider saying that “the BCCI will raise the issue at the ICC meeting next month.”
The eight-nation Asia Cup had already been overshadowed by political hostility between India and Pakistan, who met in the tournament just months after a brief military clash triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
The tension was visible throughout the September 9–28 event in the UAE, as Indian players refused handshakes with Pakistani counterparts and Suryakumar Yadav drew criticism for referencing the Pahalgam incident and India’s armed forces in his post-match remarks.
Verbal exchanges between players during the Super Four match further reflected the strained relations between the two cricketing rivals.
