Dubai, Sept 28, 2025: The Asia Cup 2025 final ended in unprecedented controversy on Sunday after India refused to accept the winners’ trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman. Despite India’s emphatic victory over Pakistan, the team walked away without medals or the trophy, leaving fans stunned.
The post-match presentation, delayed by nearly 90 minutes, turned chaotic as the Indian players insisted they would not receive the award from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Naqvi, however, stood firm that he alone would present the trophy, rejecting alternatives offered by Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam.
As a result, while Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav, and Abhishek Sharma collected their individual awards, the Indian team never received their medals or the championship trophy. Pakistan, meanwhile, quietly collected their runners-up medals before retreating to the dressing room.
The bizarre standoff left thousands of fans inside the stadium bewildered. When the players eventually returned to the ground, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to deliver a victory speech. Broadcaster Simon Doull confirmed live on air that the team would not be collecting their awards.
In a surreal twist, India later staged their own celebration. The players posed with the “champions” signage, mimed lifting an imaginary trophy, and cheered as fireworks lit up the Dubai sky.
Speaking after the match, Suryakumar expressed his disappointment:
“I have never seen a champion team denied its trophy. It was a hard-earned win. But for me, my real trophies are the 14 players and support staff who fought alongside me throughout this tournament.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later announced a reward of ₹21 crore for the squad and support staff in recognition of their stellar campaign.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, however, backed the ACC president, saying, “If the ACC has a president, then it’s his job to give the trophy. If you don’t want to take it from him, then how else will you get it?”
The controversy overshadowed India’s commanding five-wicket win, but their unbeaten run through the tournament reaffirmed their dominance in Asian cricket.
