30 September 2025 : Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal made an urgent appeal to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), saying the body should put its foot down and refuse to play against Indian in the upcoming multi-nation events after what happened during the post-match presentation of the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025 tournament. After winning the final by five wickets against Salman Ali Agha’s side, India refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
The post-match ceremony was delayed by 45 minutes as India didn’t budge from their stance of not wanting to take the trophy from Naqvi, who is also the head of PCB and the Interior Minister of Pakistan. Throughout the tournament, Naqvi shared anti-India sentiments on his social media despite holding the chair of ACC head.
He openly vouched for Pakistan’s interests, even requesting that the match referee, Andy Pycroft, be removed after the no-handshake row in the group stage game between India and Pakistan. However, with Suryakumar Yadav‘s side refusing to take the trophy from Naqvi, a major uproar emerged in Pakistan’s cricketing circles, and reactions are coming in thick and fast.
“Pakistan board should immediately say that ‘we should never play against India’. Let’s see what action ICC takes. What else evidence do you need after this? But the BCCI person is leading the ICC – how will he (Jay Shah) take any action? The other boards have to come together, say we can’t see this in cricket. Sport is not played at anyone’s home. If others don’t play them, then no money is going to come,” Akmal told ARY News.
Summary:
Following a controversial Asia Cup presentation ceremony, strong reactions emerged with calls urging Pakistan to “never play against India” again, condemning the incident as “cheap behaviour.”