Mohsin Naqvi to Receive Special Gold Medal Amid Asia Cup 2025 Trophy Controversy
Mohsin Naqvi, President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), has found himself in the spotlight after taking the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 28. This occurred following India’s five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final, during which Indian players reportedly declined to accept the trophy from him.
In response to the events surrounding the presentation, Pakistan is now preparing to honour Naqvi with a prestigious award. He is set to receive the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal in Karachi for what is being described as his “firm and principled stance” during the high-profile standoff with Indian officials.
According to reports from The Nation, the announcement was made by Karachi Basketball Association President, Advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal. The award ceremony is expected to be held in Karachi with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari likely to attend as the chief guest.
Naqvi Invites India to Collect Trophy
Naqvi addressed the controversy on social media platform X, clarifying that he never apologized to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for his actions during the final. Contrary to media reports, he stated that he had been ready to hand over the trophy on the day of the final and remains open to doing so.
“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,” Naqvi wrote.
He firmly denied any wrongdoing and emphasized that no apology had been offered to the BCCI—nor would one be forthcoming.
“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,” he added.
The issue was also reportedly brought up during the recent ACC Annual General Meeting (AGM), where BCCI representatives Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla voiced their objection to the manner in which the trophy was handled. They expressed disappointment that the winning Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, did not receive the trophy through the official protocol.
