The Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan unfolded like the plot of a high-stakes drama—worthy of a gripping web series—culminating in Rinku Singh’s match-winning runs at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
India erupted in celebration, with Tilak Verma stealing the spotlight thanks to his unbeaten 69-run knock. In contrast, the mood in the Pakistan camp was somber. The Salman Ali Agha-led squad left the field swiftly and locked themselves in their dressing room, skipping the immediate post-match proceedings.
Amidst the on-field euphoria, the situation off the field took a dramatic turn. According to media reports, the Indian team made it clear they were unwilling to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi—who also holds the position of Pakistan’s interior minister.
The ACC scrambled to resolve the impasse. The Indian camp had formally requested that Khalid Al Zarooni, vice-chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, hand over the trophy. That proposal, however, was turned down. Naqvi insisted on leading the presentation and even ordered the trophy to be removed from the venue.
Throughout the tournament, India had made its position known—skipping handshakes with Pakistani players and opting out of pre-toss photo sessions in all three matches against their arch-rivals.
As Naqvi approached the presentation area, a chorus of boos and chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” echoed from the Indian fans in the stands. The crowd also jeered at Pakistani pacers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
During the ceremony, commentator Simon Doull announced that Pakistan would receive their runners-up medals from Naqvi. However, the PCB chairman declined to do so. The responsibility then fell to Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam, who not only distributed the medals but also requested Naqvi to hand over the runners-up cheque—only for Salman Ali Agha to toss it aside in frustration.
Doull followed up with a striking revelation: “I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that concludes the post-match presentation.” Shortly after, Naqvi and the rest of the ACC contingent exited the stadium.
India’s players remained on standby as confusion persisted. The “Champions” placard was brought to the stage twice by grounds staff—only to be taken away both times. Eventually, Hardik Pandya led the team onto the podium, capturing a celebratory selfie. The rest of the team soon followed, joined by the coaching staff. Captain Suryakumar Yadav recreated Rohit Sharma’s memorable walk from the 2024 World Cup celebrations, pantomiming a trophy lift.
In the press conference that followed, Suryakumar didn’t hold back: “I have never seen a champion team being denied a trophy, that too a hard-earned one.” Teammate Abhishek Sharma chimed in, joking, “We actually got one — Surya bhai brought it! We felt it, we knew its weight.”
On the other side, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha took a dig at the Indian team’s refusal: “If he (Mohsin Naqvi) is the ACC president, then he will only give the trophy. If you don’t want to take it from him, how will you get a trophy?”
India Cricket Board secretary Devajit Saikia issued a strong statement condemning the PCB’s actions: “We decided not to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who represents a country currently at odds with ours. That was our stance. But this does not give him the right to take the trophy and medals. It is extremely unfortunate and unsportsmanlike. We hope the trophy and medals are returned to India as soon as possible. We will launch a serious protest at the ICC conference in Dubai this November.”
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