Asia Cup 2025 'Trophy Gate' reminds how Jay Shah in 2022, then ACC chief, avoided a Mohsin Naqvi moment

The Asia Cup 2025 post-match prize distribution and medal ceremony turned into chaos with the refusal of Indian team to collect the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief and the country's interior minister.

With the diplomatic relations between the two Asian neighbours at its lowest ebb following the Pahalgam attack and the resultant Operation Sindoor, India had already intimated the authorities they would not be collecting the trophy from ACC chief Naqvi.

But they had indicated that that they were willing to accept the trophy from other dignitaries on the dais.

But Naqvi let his larger-than-life-ego prevail over the game and insisted that if he in his capacity as ACC chief is not going to give the trophy , nobody else should be doing it.

“I've been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation,” the ceremony’s host, Simon Doull, announced farcically, referring to the ACC, more than 70 minutes after the last ball had been bowled.

It is indeed an irony to see that Naqvi had flown down from the USA early on Sunday (September 28) -- the day of the India vs Pakistan final specifically to present the trophy, knowing full well India’s stance throughout the tournament of distancing themselves from Pakistan, a fact highlighted by their refusal to shake hands with the team at the toss or at the end of the match.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is planning to take Naqvi to task and is likely to take up the matter with the game's global governing body -- International Cricket Council (ICC).

It is worth mentioning in this context that there is no written rule, which says that the ACC chief must present the trophy.

As the debate over "Trophy Gate' refuses to end, it is worth doing an introspection on what happened during the 2022 Asia Cup T20 Final held in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka had won that tournament, defeating Pakistan in the final held at Colombo.

India had already been eliminated in the Super Fours Stage.

When host nation lifted the Asia Cup, skipper Dasun Shanaka accepted the prize from Sri Lanka Cricket chief Shammi Silva when the then ACC chief was current ICC Chairman Jay Shah.

So the 'protocol' theory doesn't exist per se in the annals of the tournament, which is always seen as something played for continental supremacy.

In the end cricket, which was once known as the 'Gentleman's Game' was the biggest loser as politics overshadowed and to a certain extent robbed some sheen of India's record ninth victory in the in the continent’s flagship event, which will be remembered more for refusal of players to shake hands, their provocative gestures and of course finally -- for a triumph of a team -- sans trophy.