ICC Steps In as BCCI, PCB Row Over Asia Cup Trophy Intensifies

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that a senior International Cricket Council (ICC) official is mediating talks between the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi over the unresolved issue of the Asia Cup trophy.

The controversy began after India’s Suryakumar Yadav-led team, which won the eight-nation tournament, refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Following the incident, Pakistan’s Interior Minister reportedly ordered the trophy to be locked inside the ACC headquarters, preventing its handover to the Indian side.

According to reports, Naqvi has insisted on personally presenting the trophy — a stance that has triggered a power struggle between the PCB and BCCI. The standoff has now spilled over into ICC discussions.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ICC meetings, Saikia said the dialogue with Naqvi was “positive” and that the issue would be “resolved soon,” dismissing speculation about an ICC committee being formed to mediate.

“Although one of the senior persons from ICC is involved in the process of negotiation, there is no requirement for any such committee at this stage. The issue will be resolved before any drastic step is taken by the ICC,” Saikia told PTI.

PTI further reported that ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja and CEO Sanjog Gupta have been facilitating discussions between the two cricket boards.

“If things move in a positive direction, the issue will be sorted at the earliest,” Saikia added.

India-Pakistan Tensions Spill Onto the Field

The dispute comes against the backdrop of heightened cricketing and political tensions between India and Pakistan. The two teams faced off three times during the Asia Cup, with India emerging victorious on all occasions.

However, relations soured early in the tournament when the Indian squad declined to shake hands with Pakistani players as a show of solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. The gesture sparked outrage across the border, and several Pakistani players — including Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf — were later accused of making offensive gestures toward the Indian camp.

Suryakumar Yadav was fined 30% of his match fees for comments deemed “bringing the game into disrepute,” while Haris Rauf faced two fines and a two-match suspension after accumulating four demerit points for provocative behavior.

As tensions remain high both on and off the pitch, the Asia Cup trophy controversy has become a symbolic flashpoint in the long-running BCCI–PCB rivalry — one that now requires ICC intervention to bring closure.