New Delhi: In a twist straight out of a satirical playbook, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi – branded a ‘trophy thief’ for his antics during the Asia Cup 2025 – is set to receive the prestigious Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal.
The honour, announced by Sindh and Karachi Basketball Association president Advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal, celebrates Naqvi’s ‘fearless and principled’ stance that allegedly elevated Pakistan’s global image, as per a report in The Nation.
Naqvi’s escapades in the tournament were anything but subtle. From demanding the ouster of match referee Andy Pycroft to sparking delays in the final presentation ceremony – where an defiant Indian team refused to accept the trophy from his hands – he turned a cricket showdown into a diplomatic dust-up. The crowning absurdity? After India clinched the title, Naqvi whisked the winners’ trophy to his hotel like a pilfered prize, holding it overnight and insisting Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav collect it personally from ACC’s Dubai office.
The standoff forced a one-and-a-half-hour delay, leaving Indian players medal-less initially and Naqvi apologising publicly at an ACC meeting amid BCCI’s firm pushback.
Under Naqvi’s watch, Pakistan’s team endured humiliating defeats, including a final thrashing by India, compounding the embarrassment. Yet, back home, his theatrics are being hailed as patriotic bravado, ignoring the damage to the tournament’s reputation.
Critics see it as classic Pakistani delusion – much like celebrating military ‘victories’ against India – where illusion trumps reality.
As Naqvi basks in this ironic glory, questions swirl: Does this medal honour leadership or just lend legitimacy to the lunacy?