The long-standing controversy surrounding the Asia Cup trophy remains unresolved even after the recent ICC meeting, leaving India’s claim to the championship trophy in uncertainty. To address the impasse, reports suggest that a special committee may soon be formed.
Friday marked the final day of the ICC’s quarterly meeting in Dubai. In a surprising turn of events, Mohsin Naqvi — the Chairman of both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) — attended the meeting, drawing significant attention after much speculation about his participation.
According to Cricbuzz, the Asia Cup trophy issue was not originally part of the formal agenda. However, the topic surfaced in a friendly and informal atmosphere among the board representatives.
Representatives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) alleged that the ACC Chairman had “forcibly retained” the trophy. BCCI Secretary Debajit Saikia insisted that the Asia Cup trophy must be officially handed over to India without further delay.
The discussion, though, remained unofficial and mostly arose during casual exchanges among board members. Delegates from several cricket boards agreed that the matter should be resolved promptly to avoid further embarrassment for Asian cricket.
Reports indicate that a special committee will be established to find a solution to the dispute. As of late Friday, however, no such committee had been formed. Some media outlets have suggested that the committee will be headed by Pankaj Khimji, the Chairman of Oman Cricket Board.
India were crowned champions of the Asia Cup last September after defeating Pakistan in the final. Yet, the trophy was never presented to the Indian players. The ACC and PCB Chairman, who also serves as a minister in the Pakistani government, insisted that the presentation must be conducted personally by him — a condition the Indian team declined.
Naqvi reportedly refused to compromise, asserting that as ACC Chairman, it was his prerogative to hand over the trophy himself. Consequently, India departed without receiving it. Multiple subsequent requests from India to collect the trophy have gone unanswered.
Naqvi has maintained that the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, must come to the ACC headquarters in Dubai to receive the trophy directly from him. He has also instructed ACC staff not to move or release the trophy without his explicit authorisation.
This ongoing standoff has drawn criticism from several cricket officials who believe the issue has overshadowed the spirit of sportsmanship. With the proposed special committee yet to be formalised, the Asia Cup trophy — and the prestige it symbolises — remains caught in bureaucratic and political deadlock.