Spotlight returns to Naqvi ahead of Rising Stars tournament
With the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Rising Stars Championship set to begin in Doha on November 14, attention has once again turned to Mohsin Naqvi — Pakistan’s interior minister, PCB chairman, and ACC chief — amid a lingering controversy surrounding last month’s Asia Cup trophy.
India, the winners of the Asia Cup, are still awaiting formal handover of the trophy, which remains in the ACC’s possession. The incident, which unfolded after India’s win over Pakistan in Dubai when India refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi, has since overshadowed preparations for the Rising Stars event — a rebranded version of the former Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
The 15-match T20 tournament will see eight nations compete, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Oman, the UAE, and Hong Kong. The five Test-playing countries are fielding their ‘A’ teams, while the three associate nations will play their full-strength sides. India and Pakistan share the same group alongside Oman and the UAE, setting up a marquee clash on November 16.
As anticipation builds for the on-field action, questions remain about whether Naqvi will again feature in the presentation ceremony — an issue that has already strained relations between the two cricket boards.
BCCI pushes for trophy resolution before ICC meeting
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has intensified efforts to secure the return of the Asia Cup trophy before the ICC’s quarterly meeting in Dubai on November 4. Despite repeated communications to the ACC, the matter remains unresolved.
“Yes, we are a little bit unhappy with the way the trophy has not been given to us even after a month,” said BCCI joint secretary Devajit Saikia in an exclusive interaction with PTI Video.
“We are pursuing this matter – about 10 days ago, we also wrote a letter to the chairman of the ACC, but there is no change in their stand. They are still keeping the trophy under their custody, but we hope that the trophy will reach us in a day or two at the BCCI office in Mumbai,” Saikia added.
The BCCI has made it clear that it will escalate the issue if no progress is made. “On behalf of the BCCI, we are fully prepared to deal with the matter,” Saikia said, reaffirming the board’s readiness to take the dispute to the ICC if necessary.
“I can assure the people of India that the trophy will come back to India – only the timeline is not fixed. One day it will come. We have won all matches against Pakistan and won the championship. Everything is on record. Only the trophy is missing. I hope good sense will prevail.”
BCCI stands firm on refusing Naqvi’s handover
Speaking to ANI, Saikia reiterated that the BCCI had formally approached the ACC but received no positive response.
“We have approached ACC and we have sent a letter 10 days ago. There is no positive response. We are maintaining the same stand. Therefore, we will raise the issue at the ICC meeting, which begins on November 4 in Dubai. The trophy will come, and that is for certain, because this trophy has been won by India hands down. Only the timeline has to be fixed,” he said.
Saikia also clarified the board’s firm position on not accepting the trophy directly from Naqvi. “If we had to take it from him, then we would have taken it on that day of the final. Our stance is evident: we are not accepting it from that gentleman. So, there is no change of stand on the part of BCCI. We are not accepting the trophy from the ACC Chairman, who is the Interior Minister of Pakistan. Therefore, it has to come but not from his hands,” he added.
Naqvi vows to contest India’s claim at ICC summit
In response, Naqvi has refused to yield ground on the trophy issue, signaling a potential flashpoint at the ICC meeting. According to Cricket Addictor, Naqvi stated, “Pakistan will not leave the field open for India on the Asia Cup trophy issue. India may try to raise the matter, but Pakistan will fully participate at the ICC meeting in Dubai from Nov 4-7.”
Naqvi’s defiance underscores the growing friction between the two boards as both nations prepare to send representatives to Dubai. While the BCCI is backed by several Asian cricket boards, including Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, Naqvi continues to assert his authority as ACC chief.
Rising Stars tournament proceeds amid controversy
Despite the off-field tensions, the ACC Rising Stars Championship will go ahead as planned, with India facing Pakistan on November 16 in Doha. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals on November 21, followed by the final on November 23.
The event not only offers emerging players from across Asia an opportunity to showcase their talent but also unfolds under the shadow of a diplomatic cricket dispute that refuses to fade.
As the cricketing spotlight shifts back to Mohsin Naqvi, the trophy standoff has transformed what should have been a developmental showcase into yet another political chapter in the sport’s most storied rivalry.
