The Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai witnessed extraordinary drama after India defeated Pakistan, only for the trophy presentation ceremony to collapse into chaos.
India’s Asia Cup victory overshadowed by post-match drama
Indian players refused to accept the winners’ trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Mohsin Naqvi, triggering an unprecedented standoff.
The fallout reached boiling point when Naqvi, joined by officials from the PCB and the ACC, walked away from the stage with the championship trophy and medals, leaving India’s triumphant squad to celebrate without the tournament silverware.
Why India refused to take trophy from Mohsin Trophy?
The ceremony, originally scheduled to start soon after the match, was delayed by nearly an hour as tensions mounted between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and ACC leadership.
According to several reports, India had communicated in advance that they were unwilling to receive the trophy directly from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, citing “ongoing national and cricketing tensions.” The BCCI had requested that Khalid Al Zarooni, vice-chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, conduct the handover instead.
Naqvi, however, refused to step aside. After confusion and visible unrest among the crowd, the ACC chief left the stage with the trophy and medals, stunning players, officials and fans.
BCCI and Indian captain’s reaction
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia condemned the incident in strong terms, calling Naqvi’s move “unsportsmanlike and deeply unfortunate.” He confirmed that the BCCI would lodge a formal protest at the upcoming ICC conference, demanding the immediate return of the trophy and medals to the rightful winners.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed his disbelief during the ceremony:
“This is the first time in my career that a team has been denied the trophy after winning a major international tournament. It’s a moment we earned, but we were not allowed to live it.”
Despite the absence of silverware, the Indian players, joined by their support staff, took a team photo on stage, marking their victory without the traditional trophy lift.
Pakistan and ACC’s stance
Officials from Pakistan and the ACC defended their decision, arguing that protocol required the ACC chief to conduct the presentation. However, the manner in which Naqvi departed with the silverware has been widely criticized as an unprecedented breach of sporting spirit.
The bizarre scenes capped off one of the most controversial Asia Cup editions in history, already marked by heated exchanges, political undertones, and refusals of handshakes between the two sides.
Fans and cricket experts across South Asia reacted with anger on social media, with many calling the incident a new low in India-Pakistan cricket relations. Others lamented that the actions overshadowed what should have been a celebration of cricketing excellence.
