However, the ACC has now announced that Naqvi, who also serves as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), will not be present for the final due to prior commitments. Ever since the knockout draw for the men’s cricket event was announced, suspense over Naqvi’s presence at the potential India vs Pakistan clash had remained. Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi will not travel to Nisshin for the India vs Pakistan men’s cricket gold-medal match at Korogi Sports Park. India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the final, eyeing back-to-back gold medals at the Games.
Ever since the knockout draw for the men’s cricket event was announced, suspense over Mohsin Naqvi’s presence at the potential India vs Pakistan clash had remained.
“Wishing all the participants the very best ahead of gold and bronze medal matches at the Asian Games 2026. During both the 2025 men’s Asia Cup and this year’s women’s edition, Indian teams walked away without accepting the trophy from Naqvi. The BCCI has categorically maintained its stance that its teams won’t receive trophies from Naqvi and the Pakistan Interior Minister, on his part, has been adamant that if India wants the Asia Cup trophies, they will have to collect from him only.
Commitments will keep me away from Nagoya. But I will be looking forward to some thrilling action,” Naqvi was quoted as saying in that post. The BCCI had requested the ACC to advise the chairman to allow his deputy to do the honours, but he didn’t relent.
The Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams have refused to take their respective Asia Cup trophies from him as a mark of protest, while expressing their support to the Indian defence forces involved in ‘Operation Sindoor’, after innocent Indian civilians were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack last year.
