Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi is at the center of an unprecedented controversy in the cricket world surrounding the Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan. And it isn’t the first time his name has dominated the headlines in the past month.A recap of off-the-field controversies:– After India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, the post-match ceremony turned chaotic when the Indian team refused to accept the trophy and medals from Mohsin Naqvi, citing his strong anti-India stance and prior provocative remarks.
– Naqvi, despite mediation attempts by the ACC for a neutral presenter, blocked the move and ultimately left the stadium with the Asia Cup trophy and medals, denying Indian players and fans the traditional celebration.– The Indian players celebrated briefly with their families on the ground but without the trophy, which sparked outrage and condemnation.– BCCI officials announced plans to formally protest Naqvi’s actions at the ICC conference in November, viewing the incident as a deliberate slight and a serious breach of protocol.Naqvi’s controversial social media posts
Mohsin Naqvi and PM Modi (PTI)
– The controversy was compounded by Mohsin Naqvi’s public statements, both at the event and on social media platforms, where he responded to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post on X. At first, Modi wrote, “#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” referring to the government’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack.In response, Naqvi posted, “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands. No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.”– Naqvi had posted a video showing Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration transitioning into jets crash imagery, interpreted as a taunt to India’s claims during Operation Sindoor — Pakistan’s assertion of downing Indian fighter jets after the Pahalgam attack.– After India’s position of not shaking hands with Pakistan players and coach Mike Hesson, PCB, led by Naqvi, threatened to pull out of the tournament. They also delayed the match against UAE by an hour before being pacified by some back channel talks with the ICC.During the episode, Naqvi had demanded that the ICC charge India captain Suryakumar Yadav for publicly supporting the Indian armed forces during his speech after the league stage match, further inflaming tensions.Suryakumar Yadav hits out at ACC
Mohsin Naqvi, officials taking the Asia Cup trophy away. Team India mimicked lifting an imaginary trophy after that.
– Suryakumar Yadav publicly blasted Naqvi for his “childish” antics and lamented that no champion team had ever been denied its trophy in such a manner.– Videos and photos of the incident, including Naqvi storming out with the trophy, went viral across media outlets, further intensifying scrutiny and backlash.
