Mohsin Naqvi’s tenure as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) could end before the next men’s Asia Cup, potentially opening the way for the Indian cricket team to receive the Asia Cup trophies currently held by the continental governing body.

Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, became ACC president on April 3, 2025. According to the report, the ACC president serves a two-year term, which means Naqvi’s current tenure is scheduled to end on April 3, 2027.

The next men’s Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in June 2027, meaning the tournament is set to take place after Naqvi’s current term expires. An extension of his tenure would require unanimous consent, according to the report.

India’s Asia Cup trophies remain with ACC

The issue of the trophies has become a major point of contention following recent Asia Cup events.

The Indian men’s team defeated Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final but is yet to receive the tournament trophy. The trophy was subsequently kept at the ACC office.

A similar controversy emerged during the women’s Asia Cup. The Indian women’s team did not receive the trophy from Naqvi after winning the final against Sri Lanka.

The latest report suggests that once Naqvi leaves the ACC presidency, the Indian cricket team may receive possession of both Asia Cup trophies.

Naqvi’s re-election considered unlikely

Naqvi became ACC president after Jay Shah, who held the position from 2021 to 2025. Shah was unanimously re-elected for a second term, according to the report.

However, the report says Naqvi’s chances of securing another term are considered very slim in light of the controversies surrounding his tenure. It also reports that the next ACC president is likely to come from the Afghanistan Cricket Board, with the next term expected to run until mid-2029.

For now, however, Naqvi remains the ACC president, with his existing term scheduled to continue until April 3, 2027.

India’s Women’s Asia Cup triumph was followed by another controversy surrounding the tournament trophy after the team did not accept the silverware from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Ground on Sunday to secure a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title. However, the Indian players did not come onto the field for the post-match presentation ceremony.

Fans chant “Trophy Chor” at Dubai stadium

The controversy intensified when fans at the stadium chanted “Trophy Chor” as Naqvi left the venue. The incident came a year after the Indian men’s team had also declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy and medals from Naqvi following their title win.

Unlike last year’s men’s Asia Cup episode, Naqvi left the stadium without taking the trophy with him. The trophy is currently with the ACC, according to the report.

India miss trophy presentation after Asia Cup win

India’s players also did not return to the ground after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia presented Nandini Sharma with an in-house best fielder medal.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, completed its presentation formalities. The runners-up received their cheque from Naqvi, while the players and support staff accepted medals from Sri Lanka Cricket interim chief Eran Wikramaratne. Naqvi subsequently presented the award to Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu before leaving the stadium.

Asia Cup trophy row continues

The latest episode marks the second consecutive year in which India’s Asia Cup title celebration has been affected by a trophy presentation involving Naqvi.

The previous men’s Asia Cup incident occurred after India’s victory last year, when the team declined to receive the trophy and medals from Naqvi. This year’s women’s team has now followed a similar course after winning the title in Dubai.

The development comes amid strained India-Pakistan relations following last year’s Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The two countries’ players have also followed a no-handshake protocol when meeting at ICC events, according to the report.

India secured a place in the Women’s Asia Cup final after defeating Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semifinal in Dubai on Thursday.

Batting first, India posted 149/6 in 20 overs, with opener Shafali Verma producing the standout performance. She scored 64 runs from 40 deliveries to give India a strong platform on a slow surface where scoring proved difficult for several batters.

Shafali attacked the Bangladesh bowling despite the challenging conditions and reached her half-century before eventually being dismissed for 64. Her innings included seven fours and three sixes.

Bangladesh also missed opportunities in the field, with Shafali benefiting from multiple dropped catches during her innings. India capitalised on those chances to build a competitive total.

India recover after early setback

India lost Smriti Mandhana for two runs early in the innings, but Shafali steadied the batting effort.

Pratika Rawal contributed 20, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten on 24. Richa Ghosh added 21 from 16 balls, and Deepti Sharma provided a late boost with 13 from five deliveries.

India accelerated towards the end of the innings, scoring 53 runs in the final five overs to finish at 149/6.

Deepti Sharma leads India’s bowling attack

Bangladesh began its chase with positive intent but struggled to maintain momentum as India’s spinners came into the attack.

Bangladesh reached 109/7 after 20 overs, falling 40 runs short of India’s total.

Deepti Sharma was India’s leading bowler with figures of 3/26, while Shree Charani and Prema Rawat also claimed wickets. Nandani Sharma took two wickets and completed the innings with the dismissal of Rabeya Khan.

For Bangladesh, Shorna Akter scored 22, while Dilara Akter made 21. However, regular wickets prevented Bangladesh from building a sustained partnership during the chase.

The victory sent India into their 10th Women’s Asia Cup final. The defending champions will face the winner of the second semifinal between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the title clash on September 13. 

India, the seven-time champions, therefore remain in contention for another Asia Cup title after successfully defending a total that initially appeared modest on the slow Dubai surface.