Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed he will not attend the final day of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The decision comes as India and Pakistan prepare to face off in the men’s gold-medal match this Saturday, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to compete in the bronze-medal play-off.
In a formal statement released on Friday, the ACC confirmed Naqvi’s absence, noting that he expressed his best wishes to all four participating teams ahead of their respective medal clashes. Naqvi, who also serves as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, explained that prior commitments will prevent him from traveling to Nagoya. He added that he remains eager to follow the competition, stating, “Wishing all participants the very best ahead of the Gold and Bronze Medal matches at the Asian Games 2026.” But I will be looking forward to some thrilling action,” Naqvi, who’s also the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was quoted as saying in an ACC post, commitments will keep me away from Nagoya.
The announcement follows reports from September 19 suggesting that a repeat of the Women’s Asian Cup trophy presentation controversy—during which the Indian women’s team declined to accept the trophy from Naqvi—was avoided for the Japan event. Responsibility for medal presentations rests with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) alongside the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games Organizing Committee. Local organizers were reportedly keen to avoid any protocol decisions that might place the Indian delegation in an uncomfortable position.
This careful diplomatic navigation coincides with the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations between India and Japan. The two nations recently marked this milestone with an unprecedented cricket match on September 22, featuring the world champion Indian side against Japan, an Associate nation currently ranked 41st. Japanese officials were intent on preventing any potential complications during the tournament to preserve these strong ties.
