If you turned off your TV the moment India beat Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, you probably assumed the trophy celebration followed shortly after. Except, it didn’t. What unfolded in Dubai wasn’t your usual post-match presentation. Something that any sport might have never seen. There was no captain holding the cup, no photo-op with confetti, and no customary exchange of handshakes between teams. What fans saw instead was the Indian team celebrating on stage with an invisible trophy.
The drama began after Suryakumar Yadav’s men chased down 147 in the final over. The win itself was nerve-wracking and well-deserved. India’s bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav, turned the match around dramatically before Tilak Varma played Virat Kohli-esque knock to be the man for the Men in Blue.
Politics over Sports at Asia Cup 2025
However, the post-match scenes were of course going to be political, like the entire Asia Cup panned out. The post-match presentation, usually held within minutes, was delayed for over an hour. The reason? India had decided they would not accept the Asia Cup trophy from the hands of Mohsin Naqvi, the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and also the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Naqvi, despite, being on a such a crucial position was the one who mocked India on social media as well.
The tension wasn’t new. This edition of the Asia Cup had been politically charged from the very beginning, coming just months after the Pahalgam terror attack in India. During the group stage and Super Fours, the Indian team had already refused to shake hands with Pakistani players. And a day before the final, Suryakumar had declined to pose with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and Naqvi for the traditional pre-final trophy photoshoot. By the time the final rolled around, the writing was already on the wall.
Horrendous act by Mohsin Naqvi?
So when the moment came, India stood their ground. They refused to take the trophy from Naqvi. While individual award winners like Kuldeep, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma went on stage, they avoided acknowledging Naqvi. He, in turn, didn’t clap or respond either. The situation grew even more unusual when the trophy, sitting on the podium, was quietly taken away before the team photo.
Incidentally, the fireworks started after the Pakistani received their silver medals for ended up being the runner-ups. Some thought it was intentional by the ACC to deny India the grand pyrotechnics at the Dubai Stadium. India perhaps argued that they were deserving of receiving the trophy. They didn’t want it from Naqvi but there were enough dignitaries present who could’ve handed the silverware to the champions. But none of it happened and as the ACC President left the stadium with the trophy too.
There were other ACC officials present who could have presented the trophy instead. India made it clear they weren’t okay with Naqvi handing it over, but that didn’t mean the trophy had to disappear altogether or that the team should walk away without it. The players put everything into winning that final, and they deserved to lift the trophy on stage, especially with so many Indian fans in the crowd. The ACC should have respected India’s position and simply let another dignitary do the honours.
Trophyless celebration from Suryakumar Yadav’s India
India may not have physically held the Asia Cup trophy on Sunday night in Dubai, but their celebrations were heartening to watch. Despite the drama that unfolded during the post-match presentation, the players found a way to celebrate their ninth Asia Cup title in style. With no trophy on stage, Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates lifted an imaginary one, grinning and posing for photos as the crowd cheered. It was a light-hearted but pointed response to a tense situation.
Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and others posted photos from the celebrations, cheekily adding the trophy emoji to their snaps which looked as a subtle dig as well.
In what was the most politically charged edition of the tournament, and the first-ever India-Pakistan final in Asia Cup history, India let their cricket do the talking. After Pakistan’s strong start, India’s spinners flipped the game on its head, sealing a famous victory. Tilak Varma was the man of the moment, while Rinku Singh fulfilled his manifestation of hitting the winning runs as well.
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