BCCI to lodge strong protest with ICC after PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi denies India Asia Cup trophy: 'Very childish, unexpected'

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said on Monday that it will lodge a "very strong protest" with the ICC after ugly scenes unfolded in Dubai just moments after India triumphed over Pakistan to clinch its ninth Asia Cup title.

Asian Cricket Council & Pakistani interior minister Mohsin Naqvi walked off with the trophy after learning that the Indian players will not accept it from him during the post-match presentation.

Videos of Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hurriedly exiting the field went viral on X.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia defended India's refusal to accept the trophy "from a person who is waging a war against the country."

"We have taken a decision not to accept the trophy but that does not allow the gentleman to take away the trophy and the medals to his hotel," he added.

He said that Naqvi's decision to storm off with the silverware was both "unexpected" and "very childish".

"This is unexpected, very childish in nature and we will launch a very strong protest with ICC in the forthcoming ICC meeting to be held in Dubai in the first week of November," he said.

Praising India's performance, he said that India won all the seven matches at the group stage. "India won all the three matches. Thereafter in the group of four they won the matches and finally also," he said.

"Out of these seven matches, India won against Pakistan 3-0. So this is a big victory and (a) big time cricket achievement for the country."

He also spoke about the team's decision to play the tournament despite massive criticism of engagement with Pakistan in the backdrop of Pahalgam terror attack, saying that BCCI has followed the policy set by the Indian government.

"...when it is a bilateral tournament, India is not going to play against Pakistan or any other hostile country and BCCI has been doing it for last 12 to 15 years," he said.

India put a stellar performance against Pakistan in the Sunday final, defeating it by five wickets with Tilak Varma hitting an unbeaten 69 to be adjudged the Player of the Match for the summit clash.