Asia Cup trophy row: Naqvi almost certain to lose ACC chairmanship

Whenever the term "trophy thief" comes up in international cricket, one face comes to mind, Pakistan Cricket Board chief and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi is facing fierce criticism in the cricket world for illegally holding on to two of the Indian team's Asia Cup trophies. According to information from cricket circles, his exit from the ACC chairmanship is now considered almost certain, and the countdown has begun.

India has dealt Pakistan another blow. After winning the final of the Asia Cup 2026, the Indian team took a major decision, refusing to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board and ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Earlier, in the 2025 men's Asia Cup too, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav had refused to take the cup from Naqvi. Now the women's team has followed the same path and repeated that decision. Since the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian cricket team has also been refusing to shake hands with the Pakistan cricket team.

Under ACC rules, the chairmanship is rotated among Asian countries. Naqvi's term is ending soon, and a new chairman will be elected at the ACC's upcoming meeting. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and other ACC member countries strongly object to the way Naqvi has functioned, so there is no possibility of him getting an extension under any circumstances. As per the rotation policy, the next ACC chairmanship is fully expected to go to a representative of Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.

The core dispute is that after its stunning Asia Cup win, the Indian cricket team refused to take the trophy and accept it from Naqvi's hands. In this political and cricketing dispute, Naqvi has kept both of the Indian team's trophies with himself. This act has been seen in the cricket world as deeply uncivil and against the spirit of the game, which has led to him being criticised internationally as a "trophy thief".