'I have done nothing wrong...ready to hand over trophy to India': Mohsin Naqvi after Asia Cup backlash

Mohsin Naqvi sets terms for India to collect Asia Cup trophy. (Photo: X)

As the debate over the champions' exclusion from the top award raged, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said that the Indian team is "welcome" to pick up the Asia Cup trophy from him at the continental body's headquarters in Dubai.

In a post on X, Naqvi denied rumors that he apologised to BCCI executives at the ACC AGM on Tuesday for his behavior during the Sunday presentation ceremony, where he left with the trophy after the Indians refused to accept it.

In addition to serving as his nation's interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Naqvi has a strong anti-Indian political stance.

"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," he wrote.

"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.

At the ACC AGM, Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla spoke on behalf of the BCCI and voiced their extreme disapproval of the trophy not being properly given to the Suryakumar Yadav-led team that defeated Pakistan in the final clash.

On Tuesday, Naqvi informed the BCCI officials that he was prepared to present the Indian team with the trophy. The senior brass of the BCCI was further displeased that no decision was made on that matter at the AGM.

The BCCI will bring the issue to the ICC, in its meeting in November.

India won all three of the tournament's matches between the two sides, including the championship game. The PCB was enraged by India's "no handshake policy" with Pakistani players during the event.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 Indian tourists were shot dead by terrorists supported by Pakistan, tensions between the two neighbors are at an all-time high. After that, India began 'Operation Sindoor' to destroy the infrastructure supporting terrorism on the other side of the border.