The Asia Cup 2025 final was supposed to end with Rinku Singh punching the air after the winning shot he manifested, Tilak Varma holding his Player of the Match medal high, and Suryakumar Yadav lifting the trophy under fireworks. Instead, Dubai witnessed something that looked less like a cricket celebration and more like a political standoff. The match was over, but the drama had just begun. The entire Asia Cup 2025 was politically charged and the summit clash wasn’t different either.
At the centre of it all was Mohsin Naqvi, the ACC president and PCB chairman, a man who seemed more interested in making a point than handing over a trophy. By the time India had beaten Pakistan, Naqvi tried to save his own grace as he kept everyone waited for the post-match presentation ceremony.
Indian players, who had already refused to shake hands with their rivals or stand for pre-final photos, stood firm in their decision not to accept the cup from him. What followed was a bizarre sequence where the actual trophy disappeared, leaving the champions to celebrate with an imaginary one.
Timeline of the chaos after Asia Cup 2025
- Winning moment: India chase down 147 in the final over. Rinku Singh finishes it, Tilak Varma stars with 69*. Pakistan players sulk away into their dressing room.
- Pakistan lock-in: For the next hour, Indian players and coaches give interviews while Pakistan’s team refuses to emerge, delaying the presentation.
- India’s stance: India didn’t want Mohsin Naqvi handing over the trophy to them. They request UAE’s Khalid Al Zarooni instead, but ACC shuts it down. India denied because Naqvi did an unprofessional act by tweeting a horrible and political dig.
- Naqvi enters, boos rain down: The ACC chief walked out to loud jeers of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Even Pakistan’s own fast bowlers face boos from the crowd. When Haris Rauf’s name was announced, Indian fans cheered, “Kohli, Kohli”.
- Medals fiasco: Naqvi refused to give Pakistan their runner-up medals. Bangladesh’s board president Aminul Islam stepped in. Naqvi only passed a cheque to Salman Ali Agha, who flinged it aside in protest.
- India blanked: Commentator Simon Doull was told India will not be given their medals or the trophy. Within minutes, Naqvi and ACC officials left the ground that too with the trophy with them. BCCI Chief revealed.
- Podium circus: Groundsmen brought out the champions placard twice before being ordered to take it back. Hardik Pandya jumped on stage first to take selfies, joined by the rest of the team. Suryakumar Yadav mentioned that the “champions board” was taken away in front of them.
- Imaginary trophy: Suryakumar Yadav and his men hold up invisible silverware, mocking the farce. The photos flood social media, with players adding trophy emojis as a dig at Naqvi.
- Post-match: Suryakumar blasted the ACC, saying “I have never seen a champion team being denied a trophy.” He also dedicated his entire Asia Cup match fees to the Indian Armed Forces. Salman Ali Agha, the Pakistan captain, blamed Suryakumar Yadav too and said India didn’t pay respect to the sport.
- BCCI hits back: Secretary Devajit Saikia called the move “unsportsmanlike” and vowed to raise the matter at the ICC conference in November.
