India’s record-extending ninth Asia Cup crown was marred by unprecedented drama in Dubai on Sunday night, after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi allegedly walked away with the winners’ trophy, leaving the post-match ceremony in complete disarray, reported Times of India.
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a tense final, but celebrations soon soured. The Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister, having already conveyed their reservations to the Asian Cricket Council.
A BCCI source told PTI that the board had warned organisers the team would not collect the silverware from Naqvi due to his “pronounced anti-India stance.”
Naqvi’s presence on stage triggered a 90-minute standoff. Fans inside the Dubai International Stadium booed and chanted “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” as the ceremony ground to a halt. Eventually, organisers whisked the trophy away to the dressing room. Post-match host Simon Doull announced: “I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation.”
PTI reported that BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later issued a statement from Mumbai, saying: “We have decided not to take the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan. But that does not mean the gentleman will take away the trophy with him, along with the medals. We hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible.” He also confirmed that the BCCI would push for Naqvi’s ouster from the ACC and take the matter to the ICC conference in Dubai this November.
The controversy has roots in weeks of tension. During the tournament, India kept a “no handshake” policy with Pakistan, and Naqvi reportedly posted cryptic online videos referencing Pakistani claims of downing Indian jets after the Pahalgam terror attack. He also pushed for ICC action against India captain Suryakumar Yadav for expressing solidarity with the Indian Army.
For the first hour after the final, no Pakistan player came out for the ceremony, further compounding the chaos. Eventually, Captain Salman Ali Agha and his team emerged, but even then, the stadium was filled with chants of “Indiaaaa, Indiaaaa.”
Speaking after the match, Agha backed his chairman, saying: “Look, he is the ACC chairman. He is well within his rights to give away the trophy.”
On the cricketing front, India’s performance was emphatic. Tilak Varma anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, sharing a crucial 60-run stand with Shivam Dube (33). Kuldeep Yadav’s 4-30 had earlier dismantled Pakistan’s middle order after Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) gave them a promising start.
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