India’s dramatic five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai was supposed to be a moment of jubilation and celebration for the Men in Blue. Instead, the cricketing world found itself riveted by an unprecedented off-field controversy that overshadowed the team’s ninth continental triumph. The Asia Cup trophy, normally the centerpiece of post-match festivities, was not awarded to the champions on the field—an outcome that has sparked heated debate, official protests, and a diplomatic standoff between two cricketing giants.
On Sunday, September 28, 2025, India clinched the Asia Cup by defeating their arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets. The match itself was a classic, with both teams fighting tooth and nail, but the focus quickly shifted from the pitch to the presentation ceremony. As the final wicket fell and the Indian squad gathered in anticipation, confusion and tension began to brew. The customary post-match handshake was skipped, a continuation of India’s ‘no-handshake policy’ that had been maintained throughout the tournament amid escalating hostilities between the two nations. The Indian team also avoided the usual pre-toss photoshoots with their Pakistani counterparts, signaling a clear message to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and its leadership.
The root of the controversy lay in the identity of the trophy presenter: Mohsin Naqvi, who serves as both the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the president of the ACC. According to multiple sources, the Indian team management questioned who would present the trophy before the ceremony began. When it became clear that Naqvi would take the dais, Indian fans in the stands erupted in boos and patriotic chants of “Bharat Maata Ki Jai.” The Indian players, meanwhile, made it known they would not accept the trophy from Naqvi, citing his political stance and recent anti-India rhetoric on social media as unacceptable. The situation reached a boiling point as the presentation was delayed by nearly an hour, with only individual awards being distributed. Eventually, the trophy was quietly removed from the stage and taken inside the dressing room, leaving the Indian team and their supporters without the traditional moment of glory.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed the media after the match, explaining the team’s position. “We as a team decided not to take the trophy (from Mohsin Naqvi). Nobody told us to do so. But I feel a team that wins the tournament deserves the trophy,” he said. However, in subsequent interviews, Suryakumar insisted that India never outright rejected the trophy. “We never said we wouldn’t take the trophy. We waited for one and a half hours with phones in hand, ready for photos. Shivam, Kuldeep, and Abhishek went for awards, but they took the medals and trophy elsewhere, thinking they had won,” he told ABP News. He emphasized that India’s ownership of the title was never in doubt: “We have won the Asia Cup. The trophy belongs to us and we will definitely get it.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had anticipated the potential for such a standoff. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the Indian team’s decision was pre-planned. “Let me make this very clear — the Indian team’s decision was deliberate. We had already communicated that we would not accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, because he is not just the ACC chairman but also a senior leader from Pakistan. For us, it is not possible to take an award from someone who represents a country that is openly hostile and waging war against India,” Saikia told CNN-News18.
The fallout from the ceremony quickly spilled over into official channels. At the Asian Cricket Council’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Dubai on September 30, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla and former treasurer Ashish Shelar confronted Naqvi over his actions. Reports indicate that Naqvi, who took away the trophy and medals after the match, suggested that Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav could collect the silverware personally from the ACC office in Dubai. The BCCI, however, stood firm: the captain would not take the trophy from Naqvi, especially in light of his recent social media posts. The matter was deferred for later resolution, with a mediator to be appointed. Notably, no other ACC member country supported Naqvi’s stance; Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka all backed India’s position.
The controversy has further sharpened the already tense relationship between India and Pakistan, which reached new heights after the Pahalgam terror attack on September 18, 2025, and India’s subsequent military response under ‘Operation Sindoor.’ The cricketing standoff, therefore, cannot be seen in isolation from the broader political context. During the ACC meeting, the BCCI warned that if the trophy was not handed over within a defined timeframe, a formal complaint would be lodged with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Meanwhile, the Pakistani side has pushed back. Former captain Shoaib Malik defended Naqvi, saying, “Just see how much pressure the players went through to win the Asia Cup. How much heat was there that they played in? They worked so hard. Why did they do all that hard work? To win the Asia Cup trophy, to win the tournament! And after they’ve worked so hard, you don’t even come to take the trophy. It was such a big achievement, and that too after such a close match. It’s a massive moment.” Malik argued that India’s refusal to accept the trophy was unjustified and would haunt the players in the future.
Adding fuel to the fire, former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal called for a boycott of India in future competitions. “Pakistan board should immediately say that ‘we should never play against India’. Let’s see what action ICC takes. What else evidence do you need after this? But the BCCI person is leading the ICC – how will he (Jay Shah) take any action?” Akmal told ARY News. He also suggested forming a neutral committee to handle such disputes, excluding both India and Pakistan from the process.
Amid all the drama, Suryakumar Yadav sought to keep the focus on the team’s achievements. “If you tell me about the trophies. My trophies are sitting in my dressing room. All 14 guys are with me. All the support staff. Those are the real trophies. I have been a big fan of these boys throughout this journey of the Asia Cup. Since we came here, we have played this tournament. We started our preparations. I think those are the real trophies. Real moments which I am taking back as lovely memories which will stay with me forever going forward. And that’s all,” he reflected in his post-match press conference.
For now, the Asia Cup 2025 will be remembered as much for its off-field drama as for the cricket. The BCCI is preparing to escalate the matter at both ACC and ICC forums, while Naqvi stands firm on his condition for a formal presentation. As the trophy remains in limbo, India’s players and fans continue to celebrate a hard-fought victory—albeit without the silverware to show for it. The cricketing world watches on, wondering when, or if, the champions will finally get their hands on their prize.
