Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi extended an open invitation to the Indian cricket team to collect the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from his office here, escalating tensions in the lingering dispute over the champions' refusal to accept the prize from him during the final presentation ceremony. Naqvi, who also serves as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan's interior minister, made the remarks in a post on X, rejecting reports that he had apologized to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials during the ACC's annual general meeting (AGM) on Tuesday.

The controversy stems from the Asia Cup final on September 28, 2025, at Dubai International Stadium, where India defeated Pakistan by five wickets to claim their ninth title. Tilak Varma's unbeaten half-century guided India to chase down 147, marking their third straight win over Pakistan in the tournament. However, during the delayed 90-minute ceremony, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates declined to receive the trophy or medals from Naqvi, citing the heightened geopolitical strains between the two nations. The team instead celebrated with emojis, selfies, and mock trophy poses, while organizers handed the silverware to Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni as a temporary measure.

Naqvi, known for his anti-India political stance, clarified in his X post: "As ACC President, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me." He added, "Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so." The incident has drawn sharp criticism from Indian officials, including BCCI vice-presidents Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla, who raised objections at the AGM. Although Naqvi reportedly reiterated his willingness to present the trophy, no resolution was reached, prompting the BCCI to plan escalation to the International Cricket Council (ICC) ahead of its November meeting.

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The on-field rivalry mirrored off-field hostilities, exacerbated by the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where Pakistan-backed militants gunned down 26 tourists, mostly Hindus. India responded with "Operation Sindoor" on May 7, launching missile and airstrikes on nine alleged terror sites in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province, targeting groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The four-day conflict, which killed dozens and nearly sparked a full-scale war, ended in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on May 10. Tensions persisted during the Asia Cup, with India enforcing a "no handshake policy" toward Pakistani players, further infuriating the PCB. Pakistan captain Salman Agha accused India of "disrespecting cricket," while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the victory on X as an extension of "Operation Sindoor on the games field."

This episode underscores the deepening fusion of sports and geopolitics between the nuclear-armed neighbors, whose bilateral cricket series have been suspended since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. With no immediate resolution in sight, the trophy standoff risks prolonging the bitterness from a tournament already overshadowed by nationalistic fervor.

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