By Zainab Shafiq 
The Asia Cup 2025 trophy controversy refuses to die down, but the latest twist may be more about media spin than reality. Several Indian outlets, citing unnamed sources, reported that Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi admitted during a meeting in Dubai that he “felt like a cartoon” and “embarrassed” while waiting for the Indian team to accept the trophy after the final. However, what stands out is that not a single Pakistani news platform has reported the same claim, nor has Naqvi himself issued any statement confirming it.
A Story Circulating Only in India
According to Indian agencies like PTI and networks such as CNN-News18, Naqvi allegedly made the remark behind closed doors in the ACC meeting. The reports suggest he spoke of feeling humiliated after India refused to accept the trophy from him following their five-wicket win over Pakistan.
Yet outside India, the story has found no traction. No Pakistani media outlet, mainstream or sports-focused, has covered these “cartoon” remarks. Even international cricket boards or the ACC’s own official channels have not put out any reference to Naqvi’s supposed admission.
This silence raises an important question: if the ACC chief had indeed made such a dramatic admission, wouldn’t it have been picked up more widely than a single national press pool?
Trophy Row Still the Real Issue
What is verifiable is the trophy saga itself. India, supported by the BCCI, refused to accept their Asia Cup medals and trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Players celebrated with imaginary cups instead, while officials accused Naqvi of walking away with the real silverware.
During the ACC meeting in Dubai, BCCI representatives Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar confronted Naqvi over the handling of the ceremony and demanded that the trophy be submitted to the ACC headquarters. But Naqvi, according to meeting reports, brushed off the issue and shifted focus back to routine governance matters.
A Convenient Narrative?
It’s worth noting that Indian media have been leading the charge in portraying Naqvi in an embarrassing light, from dubbing him a “trophy thief” to now suggesting he felt like a “cartoon.” Without official confirmation or corroboration from neutral sources, such stories run the risk of looking like one-sided narratives designed to shape perception rather than report fact.
Meanwhile, Pakistani outlets have treated the issue differently, framing India’s refusal to accept the trophy as disrespectful and unsportsmanlike. The sharp contrast in coverage between the two countries highlights how cricket in South Asia is often reported less as sport and more as politics by other means.
Also, see:
Mohsin Naqvi Forced to Congratulate India for Asia Cup 2025 Win: Sources