Mumbai: In a dramatic postscript to their commanding five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, Team India sparked a two-hour standoff by refusing to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi.
The high-voltage episode unfolded on the presentation stage, where Naqvi stood holding the gleaming silverware, waiting in vain as Indian players firmly held their ground, insisting he step down first. Ultimately, the team opted to forgo the awards ceremony altogether, underscoring the simmering tensions in the Indo-Pak rivalry.
The boycott wasn’t unexpected, given the frosty exchanges throughout the tournament. On September 14, during their opening clash, Indian players skipped handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts, locking the dressing room door and prompting PCB outrage. Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to dedicate the win to India’s armed forces and Pulwama attack victims drew PCB’s ire, leading to calls for his ICC ban under Level 4 offenses— a plea swiftly dismissed. Subsequent matches on September 21 and the final saw more provocations, from gun celebrations to verbal spats, with no handshakes exchanged.
Naqvi, who had eagerly anticipated handing over the trophy in this historic first India-Pakistan final, found himself sidelined. His pre-final statement gushed about the event’s passion, but his anti-India stance, including the ban demand, only fuelled the fire.
As India clinched its ninth record title — their third win over Pakistan in the tournament — the snub amplified the narrative of unyielding resolve. Fans hailed it as a fitting end to ‘Operation Asia Cup’, where cricket mirrored the border’s edge.