ACC chief slams reports of apology, 'welcomes' India to collect Asia Cup trophy from him

Dubai: Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), said that the Indian team is "welcome" to collect the Asia Cup trophy from him at his office at the ACC headquarters in Dubai, amid the raging controversy that erupted after the champions were denied the top prize.

In a post on X, Naqvi quashed reports claiming that he apologised to BCCI officials at the ACC AGM on Tuesday for his actions at the presentation ceremony on Sunday, where he walked away with the trophy following the Indian team's refusal to accept it from him.

Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, is also the Interior Minister of his country, holding a pronounced anti-India 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.

The BCCI was represented by Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla at the ACC AGM, raising a strong objection over the trophy being handed over to the Suryakumar Yadav-led side that beat Pakistan in the final.

Naqvi had told the BCCI officials on Tuesday that he was ready to give the trophy to the Indian team. However, no decision on that issue was taken in the AGM, upsetting the BCCI top brass further. The BCCI will take the matter to the ICC, which will have its meeting in November.

During the tournament, the two sides played each other three times, with India winning each time. India maintained a 'no handshake policy' with Pakistani players throughout the tournament, which enraged the PCB.

The tensions between the two neighbours are at an all-time high following the Pahalgam terror attack, where Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 Indian tourists. In response, India launched military action under 'Operation Sindoor' to dismantle terror infrastructure across the border.