India’s Asia Cup trophy locked away at ACC office in Dubai: Reports

Two weeks after the Asia Cup final, the trophy remains locked away at the headquarters of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in Dubai, a source close to the chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, told news agency PTI.

According to reports, Naqvi, who is also a union minister in Pakistan, has passed "instructions that it should not be moved or handed over" without his approval. The Indian cricket team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi at the awards distribution ceremony on September 28, following their five-wicket victory over Pakistan.

"Naqvi has given clear instructions that only he will hand over the trophy in person (whenever that happens) to the Indian team or BCCI," the source said.

The Indians had refused to shake hands with Pakistani players during the T20 event, a continuation of the diplomatic tensions between the neighbouring countries following the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, which led to the death of 26 civilians.

The Indian players conducted a mock trophy-lifting celebration on the ground while Naqvi took the trophy back. The BCCI took exception to the removal of the trophy from the ground, and is expected to raise the matter at next month's ICC meeting.