The controversy surrounding the Asia Cup trophy presentation refuses to die down, as Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has strongly denied reports claiming he apologised to the BCCI over the post-final fiasco. In a fiery statement posted on X, Naqvi hit out at the Indian media, calling the reports “fabricated nonsense” and asserting he would never apologise to the Indian board.

“Indian media thrives on lies, not facts. I have done nothing wrong and have never apologised to the BCCI, nor will I ever do so,” Naqvi wrote. “This cheap propaganda only misleads their own people. India continues to drag politics into cricket, harming the spirit of the game.”

The incident in question took place after India’s victory in the Asia Cup final, when Naqvi, instead of handing over the trophy and medals to the winning team, walked away with the silverware. The Indian team, reportedly unwilling to receive the trophy from Naqvi — a Pakistani government minister with a known anti-India stance — was left without a formal presentation ceremony.

Naqvi claimed he was ready to present the trophy that day and remains open to doing so now, provided the Indian team collects it from the ACC office. “If they truly want it, they are welcome to come and collect it from me,” he added.

The BCCI, meanwhile, lodged a strong protest during the ACC’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, questioning why the winners were not awarded the trophy and medals. BCCI representatives Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar maintained that the trophy is ACC property and must be handed over to the rightful winners, not withheld over personal grievances.

According to sources Naqvi insisted he felt “disrespected” by the Indian team’s actions and was unaware of their refusal to accept the trophy from him. He also claimed the BCCI never officially informed him of this decision in writing.

With no resolution reached during the meeting, the issue has been deferred to a future discussion. Reports suggest the BCCI is considering a firm stance against Naqvi and may even push for his removal as ACC president.