The Asia Cup 2025 may have found its champion on the field, but the real drama began after the final whistle. India clinched a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in Dubai, but what followed was an unprecedented standoff over the trophy presentation.
The Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is both the chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the current president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi insisted that it was his sole right to present the trophy, but the Indian players and management flatly declined to receive it from him.
This unusual situation delayed the presentation ceremony by over 45 minutes. Despite efforts from the ACC and Emirates Cricket Board to find a compromise—such as involving neutral figures like ECB chairman Khalid Al Zarooni or BCB president Aminul Islam—Naqvi remained firm. The Indian team eventually accepted only individual awards sponsored by the event’s partners. The team trophy remains unclaimed.
Following the incident, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed India’s position:
“We will not take the trophy from the ACC chairman, who is also a key Pakistani leader. It’s very unfortunate and unsporting. We’ll raise a strong protest at the upcoming ICC meeting in November.”
The issue escalated further after Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a congratulatory message to the Indian team, calling the win “#OperationSindoor”. Naqvi’s response—geoblocked in India—linked sports to war and accused India of mixing politics with cricket.
Tensions between India and Pakistan had been simmering even before the match. Pakistan had demanded their own representative at the toss, which led to both Ravi Shastri and Waqar Younis conducting pre-match interviews with their respective team captains.
Naqvi had previously stayed away from a similar ceremony at the ICC Champions Trophy final, but this time, expecting a Pakistan win, he was present and prepared to present the trophy.
The BCCI has confirmed it will escalate the matter at the ICC conference in Dubai in early November. But before that, an ACC meeting on September 30 may provide the first formal setting for both parties to address the controversy. However, uncertainty looms over whether BCCI will attend, as the Women’s World Cup also begins that day.
The Indian camp had even considered a workaround—having a foreign coach like Morne Morkel collect the trophy—but the idea was lost in the post-match confusion.
The ceremony ended awkwardly, with host Simon Doull announcing:
“I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight.”
With the medals and team trophy still not officially handed over, and with no plans for a formal ceremony, the situation remains unresolved.
