Mohsin Naqvi, PCB chief and ACC president, is set to receive the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal for withholding the Asia Cup trophy from India.
PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi to Receive Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal
Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President, and the country’s Interior Minister, is set to be honoured with the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal. Organisers cited his “principled and courageous stance” during the Asia Cup final trophy handover controversy.
Advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal, President of the Sindh and Karachi Basketball Associations, announced that Naqvi’s actions “restored national pride” amid heightened political and sporting tensions with India. Naqvi gained international attention when Indian players declined to accept the trophy from him, widely seen as a political snub. In response, he retained the trophy, stating on social media that the Indian team could collect it from the ACC headquarters “if they truly want it.”
“I did nothing wrong, and I did not — and will not — apologise to the BCCI,” Naqvi posted on X (formerly Twitter). His stance has earned praise across Pakistan’s political and sports communities, with the award seen as both a symbolic gesture and a strong statement.
Ceremony Planned in Karachi
A formal award ceremony is reportedly being planned in Karachi to honour Mohsin Naqvi, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari invited as the chief guest. Organisers will finalise the date once Bhutto confirms his availability.
“This is not just about cricket,” said Advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal. “This is about dignity, sovereignty, and the refusal to bend under pressure.”
The Asia Cup Trophy Row and Diplomatic Fallout
The BCCI has raised the issue at the ACC’s annual meeting and is expected to escalate it to the International Cricket Council (ICC) during its next session in November.
The episode occurred amid worsening bilateral relations, following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indian tourists and was blamed on Pakistan-based militants, prompting Indian military strikes under “Operation Sindoor” targeting alleged militant camps across the border.