The controversy arose as a result of the Indian players' refusal to accept the medals and trophy from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, following India's thrilling victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final. The players were protesting against Naqvi's provocative social media posts during the tournament. In retaliation, Naqvi is said to have given a signal to the ACC officials to cancel the customary presentation ceremony, and the trophy was removed from the stage, thereby heightening the conflict between the two cricket boards. At the ACC Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 30, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took a firm stand against Naqvi's conduct which they deemed as uncalled-for, and went on to claim that the Asia Cup trophy belongs to India. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla conveyed the message that the 2025 trophy, Suryakumar Yadav being the captain, deserves to be handed over to the Indian team in a proper ceremony and thereafter kept under the ACC's official custody until the next handover. ACC Responds, claims “No political intent” behind ceremony dispute (File Photo) Despite repeated follow-ups, the trophy remains at ACC headquarters, as the deadlock between the boards continues. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that India has sent an official email demanding the trophy’s release and may escalate the matter to the ICC if no response is received soon. “We are proceeding step by step and will continue to pursue this matter,” Saikia told India Today. The BCCI has since gained support from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan cricket boards, both urging Naqvi to hand over the trophy. In a written reply, Naqvi acknowledged India’s triumph but defended the ACC’s stance, stressing that the council would not “indulge in petty politics”. The letter stated: “The ACC President waited along with distinguished guests for approximately 40 minutes to ensure the integrity of the presentation ceremony was preserved… The ACC trophy rightly belongs to the Indian Cricket Team and is being held in trust till such time that a BCCI office holder can collect it.” Naqvi also denied receiving prior communication from BCCI regarding the team’s refusal to attend the ceremony, accusing India of introducing politics into cricket. The ACC reiterated that the trophy would be handed over “with full fanfare” once BCCI representatives are available — but until then, the impasse remains unresolved.