Mohsin Naqvi will miss Finals Day at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 ahead of India-Pakistan gold medal clash

Mohsin Naqvi, the ACC President and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, will not attend Finals Day at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. The Asian Cricket Council officially confirmed on Friday that Naqvi will not travel to the medal fixtures at Korogi Park in Nisshin City due to prior commitments.

Naqvi holds dual roles as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, responsibilities that have created scheduling conflicts with his attendance at the Asian Games 2026 medal day. The ACC released a statement addressing his absence from the tournament’s concluding day.

“ACC president Mr Mohsin Naqvi will miss Finals Day at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. But he sends his very best wishes to all four teams ahead of the Gold and Bronze Medal matches,” said the ACC in a statement on Friday as quoted by Cricbuzz.

ACC President Mr Mohsin Naqvi will miss Finals Day at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, but he sends his very best wishes to all four teams ahead of the Gold and Bronze Medal matches, according to the official statement from the Asian Cricket Council. The ACC confirmed the announcement on Friday, citing Naqvi’s prior commitments as the reason for his inability to travel to Japan.

India’s women’s cricket team declined to collect their trophy from Naqvi after winning the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka in Dubai last month. During India’s Men’s T20 Asia Cup campaign in 2025, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s team beat Pakistan three times, including in the final on September 28, 2025 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where India won by 5 wickets. The Indian men’s team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi on that occasion and did not exchange handshakes with Pakistan.

The India men’s cricket team faced Pakistan in the gold medal match scheduled for Saturday at Korogi Park in Nisshin City. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka contested the bronze medal game before the headline fixture. The medal presentation protocol and decision-making authority regarding trophy acceptance remained with the Olympic Council of Asia and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games Organising Committee.