**Mohsin Naqvi to Receive Honor Amid Asia Cup Trophy Row**
*By Gaurav Tripathi | October 4, 2025, 10:32 AM*
Mohsin Naqvi, President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is set to be honored with the prestigious Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal. The announcement was made by Advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal on behalf of the Sindh and Karachi Basketball Associations.
### Recognition of Principled Stand
The award acknowledges Naqvi’s principled stance during the recent Asia Cup final trophy handover controversy. After the Indian team refused to accept the trophy, Naqvi retained it, a move that stirred significant attention. Jamal highlighted that Naqvi’s actions “restored national pride” amid escalating political and sporting tensions between Pakistan and India.
The decision to honor Naqvi has received widespread support across Pakistan’s political and sports communities. Organizers consider the award both a symbolic gesture of respect and a strong message of national pride.
### Upcoming Award Ceremony
Plans are underway to hold a formal award ceremony in Karachi, with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expected to be the chief guest. The exact date will be confirmed once Bilawal Bhutto finalizes his availability.
A special committee has been established to oversee the event. The committee is chaired by Sindh Basketball Association Chairman Khalid Jameel Shamsi, with Director Sports and Commissioner Karachi, Ghulam Muhammad Khan, serving as secretary.
### The Trophy Controversy
The Asia Cup final between Pakistan and India was marked by heightened political tensions. The Indian team, despite winning the match, refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, enforcing a strict “no handshake” policy with Pakistani players. This sparked a diplomatic stir both on and off the field.
In response, Naqvi retained the trophy and later addressed the controversy on social media. He stated that the Indian team was “welcome” to collect the trophy directly from ACC headquarters if they wished. Defiant, Naqvi posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I did nothing wrong, and I did not—and will not—apologize to BCCI,” following reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took offense at his actions.
### Repercussions and Next Steps
The BCCI has officially raised the issue during the ACC’s annual meeting and is expected to escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) during its next session scheduled for November.
As the cricketing fraternity and political stakeholders await further developments, the upcoming ceremony honoring Mohsin Naqvi stands as a testament to Pakistan’s resolve and pride amidst the ongoing diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the Asia Cup.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/mohsin-naqvi-to-receive-top-national-honor-for-this-reason/story
