The controversy surrounding PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi and the Asia Cup trophy has shown no signs of relenting (Images via AP)

The Asia Cup 2025 trophy dispute continues to dominate headlines nearly a month after India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final at the Dubai International Stadium on September 28. Despite India’s victory, the team has yet to ‘lift’ the trophy, which has now reportedly been moved from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) headquarters in Dubai to an undisclosed location in Abu Dhabi.

To add fuel to the fire, it is understood that the trophy is still under the custody of Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister and head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). A BCCI official visiting the ACC headquarters recently was informed that the trophy had been removed and was in Naqvi’s possession. Earlier this month, Naqvi set conditions for its return, suggesting that India should collect it personally from him. He later offered to host a ceremony to hand over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to India, but insisted an Indian official attend the presentation. Despite a formal letter from the BCCI requesting the handover, Naqvi has maintained his position. The post-match presentation had already been delayed by 90 minutes after India refused to accept the trophy on the dais, leading to the silverware being removed without explanation.Meanwhile, a viral clip from Pakistan glorified Naqvi for his handling of the situation, portraying him as a “hero” for standing firm while the Indian team initially refused to accept the trophy. In the video, a man on stage said, “Jab ye ground mein khade the aur Indian team trophy nahi le rahi thi, inhone sabr ka muzahira kiya… Ab poora India trophy ke peeche bhag raha hai.” Pakistani media and social platforms have framed the incident as a moment of authority and national pride, highlighting Naqvi’s eventual retrieval of the trophy. Indian players, including Tilak Varma, later revealed that they improvised their own celebrations to maintain team spirit. Speaking on Breakfast with Champions, Tilak said, “We were actually waiting at the ground for one hour… Arshdeep said, let’s create an atmosphere — we’ll celebrate like we did after the T20 World Cup in 2024, just without the trophy.” Despite the celebratory mood for Pakistan, the incident has drawn criticism in India, where the champions’ on-field achievement has been overshadowed by the prolonged trophy controversy.

An ACC meeting in late September failed to resolve the handover, leaving the Asia Cup 2025 triumph symbolically incomplete for India. The Asia Cup trophy saga remains unresolved, with cross-border tensions and political tug-of-war continuing to overshadow the victory in Dubai, almost a month on.