ACC chief Naqvi to miss India vs Pakistan Asian Games cricket final
Synopsis
ACC President and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi will not attend the India vs Pakistan Asian Games 2026 gold medal cricket final — a match already charged with diplomatic tension following the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack fallout. Indian teams have refused handshakes with Pakistani players and declined trophies from Naqvi across multiple recent tournaments, and that pattern is widely expected to continue on Finals Day.
Key Takeaways
ACC President Mohsin Naqvi will miss the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket gold medal final between India and Pakistan at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin .
Naqvi cited prior commitments ; the ACC announced his absence on Friday .
India beat Sri Lanka by 124 runs and Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 6 wickets in their respective semi-finals on Thursday .
Post-match handshakes between India and Pakistan are widely expected to be skipped, continuing a pattern since the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack .
Captain Suryakumar Yadav 's men and the Harmanpreet Kaur -led women's team have both previously declined handshakes and trophy presentations involving Naqvi.
Naqvi also serves as Interior Minister in the Pakistan central government, adding a diplomatic dimension to his role in cricket events.
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi will not be present at the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket gold medal match between India and Pakistan, citing prior commitments. The ACC confirmed his absence ahead of the marquee final, scheduled at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.
Official Statement
The ACC announced Naqvi's absence through its official social media accounts on Friday. 'ACC President, Mr Mohsin Naqvi, will miss Finals Day at #AsianGames2026 due to prior commitments, but sends his very best wishes to all four teams ahead of the Gold and Bronze Medal Matches,' the governing body said. Before the India-Pakistan gold medal clash, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are set to contest the bronze medal match at the same venue.
How India and Pakistan Reached the Final
Both teams secured their berths in the final following contrasting semi-final performances on Thursday. Pakistan edged past Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-curtailed 13-over contest, while India delivered a dominant display, thrashing Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the second semi-final. The emphatic margin underlined India's form heading into the final.
Diplomatic Backdrop and Handshake Protocol
Naqvi's absence carries significance beyond scheduling. Based on recent precedents, the customary post-match handshakes between Indian and Pakistani players are widely expected to be skipped, continuing a pattern rooted in the diplomatic strain that pushed both nations to the brink of conflict in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Since that episode, India have consistently declined to exchange handshakes with Pakistani players across genders and age-group competitions in global cricket events. Indian teams have also declined to receive tournament honours from Pakistani dignitaries at presentations.
A Pattern Across Men's and Women's Cricket
The precedent was prominently set during India's Men's T20 Asia Cup campaign in 2025, when captain Suryakumar Yadav led his team to three victories over Pakistan — including in the final — without exchanging post-match handshakes, and the side declined to accept the trophy from Naqvi.
Similarly, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India women's team declined post-match pleasantries after winning the Women's T20 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka in Dubai last month and also refused to collect their trophy from Naqvi, who additionally serves as Interior Minister in the Pakistan central government. His dual role as both a cricket administrator and a senior government official has made his presence at India-Pakistan events a particularly sensitive flashpoint.
What to Watch
With Naqvi absent from Finals Day, the trophy presentation protocol will be handled by other ACC officials, potentially defusing one friction point. However, the on-field handshake question remains firmly in focus, and India's team management is expected to maintain the stance adopted across recent tournaments. The gold medal match represents the biggest bilateral cricket encounter since the two nations last met on the global stage.
Point of View
Coordinated policy sustained across formats, genders, and age groups since the 2025 Pahalgam attack. Mainstream coverage frames each incident as a fresh controversy; the pattern reveals a structural freeze. With Naqvi also serving as Pakistan's Interior Minister, his presence at these events was never merely administrative. His absence may lower the temperature visually, but the underlying diplomatic ice remains unbroken — and a gold medal match between the two sides will test it again regardless of who presides at the podium.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is ACC President Mohsin Naqvi not attending the India-Pakistan Asian Games cricket final?
Naqvi will miss Finals Day at the Asian Games 2026 due to prior commitments, as confirmed by the ACC in an official statement on Friday. He extended his best wishes to all four teams competing in the gold and bronze medal matches.
Where is the India vs Pakistan Asian Games 2026 cricket gold medal match being played?
The gold medal match is scheduled at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The bronze medal match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be played at the same venue before the final.
How did India and Pakistan qualify for the Asian Games 2026 cricket final?
India defeated Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the second semi-final, while Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-curtailed 13-over contest. Both semi-finals were played on Thursday.
Why are post-match handshakes between India and Pakistan unlikely at the Asian Games final?
Since the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, Indian cricket teams have consistently declined to exchange handshakes with Pakistani players and have refused to accept tournament honours from Pakistani dignitaries, including Naqvi. This stance has been maintained across men's, women's, and age-group competitions.
What happened at the Men's and Women's T20 Asia Cup involving Naqvi and the Indian teams?
During the 2025 Men's T20 Asia Cup, captain Suryakumar Yadav's team beat Pakistan three times, including in the final, without post-match handshakes and refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led women's team similarly declined post-match pleasantries and the trophy presentation at the Women's T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai last month.
