The drama did not end on the field at the Asia Cup 2025 final—it spilled over into a shocking post-match controversy that has left the cricketing world stunned.
After India edged Pakistan in a heart-stopping final-over thriller, Suryakumar Yadav’s men refused to accept the trophy from ACC chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister.
Despite Naqvi’s insistence on presenting the trophy, the ceremony was delayed for over an hour and concluded without any trophy presentation, leaving fans and officials bewildered.
Sources reveal that the Indian team was willing to accept the trophy from Khalid Al Zarooni, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, but Naqvi refused to accommodate the request. As tensions escalated, the trophy was eventually removed from the podium by officials, leaving the champions empty-handed on stage.
The trigger for India’s refusal was widely reported: Naqvi had reposted provocative images on X during the tournament, including one titled ‘Final Day’, showing Pakistani cricketers—including captain Salman Ali Agha and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi—in flight suits against a backdrop of airborne fighter jets.
Earlier, he had also shared a disturbing image of Cristiano Ronaldo with a crashing plane. Such actions, Indian officials and players felt, crossed the line of sportsmanship and respect.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed the team’s outrage in a post-match media briefing:
“I have never seen a champion team denied its trophy. We deserved it. The real trophies are my 14 teammates—they will stay in my memory forever.”
This tense encounter was the third meeting between India and Pakistan in the tournament. India had already secured comfortable victories in the first two matches, but the rivalry had been heavily charged with political undertones.
From the very first game, the Indian team refused to shake hands with Pakistan’s players, with Suryakumar dedicating their win to the families of victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
Days after the tragic attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in PoK and Pakistan, leading to a tense three-day military standoff in April-May.
The tension carried over to Dubai, further souring relations between the teams. Naqvi even publicly endorsed a potential Indian boycott of the tournament, claiming in a press conference in Lahore:
“Politics and sports can’t be mixed. Cricket should remain separate from all this. If a boycott had to happen, it would have been a major decision involving the prime minister, government officials, and other authorities. We were monitoring the situation closely.”
On Sunday night, India’s players only appeared on the podium to receive individual awards from other dignitaries before swiftly leaving the stadium, skipping the official trophy presentation entirely.
Even before the match concluded, it was clear that the awards ceremony would be delayed. Nearly 20 minutes after Rinku Singh struck the winning runs, the dais had been erected, Pakistan’s players had retreated to their dressing room, and the Indians were scattered across the field.
Officials, umpires, and the match referee engaged in urgent negotiations, but no resolution was achieved, prolonging the farce.
The delay sparked boos from the stands, which were by then half-empty, leaving only a handful of Indian supporters. Television commentator Ravi Shastri did not mince words, calling it “ridiculous for the players to wait 45 minutes for the presentation after the game’s conclusion.”
The incident has been widely criticized as unsportsmanlike and unprecedented, highlighting how political tensions can overshadow even the most thrilling cricketing moments.
This post-match fiasco has intensified calls for clearer governance in cricket and strict separation of politics and sport, while India’s team displayed dignity, restraint, and unshakable focus amid an unprecedented provocation.
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