The 2025 Asia Cup couldn’t have been complete without one last India-Pakistan controversy: the tournament ended in a farce when the champions did not collect their trophy. Here’s how it unfolded.
After Rinku Singh hit his first ball of the tournament for a boundary, clinching an India win in their first-ever Asia Cup final against Pakistan, the usual celebrations began inside the Dubai International Stadium among Indian cricketers and fans. But it wasn’t really the end.
Given how the entire tournament had panned out, there was little surprise when a two-hour drama unfolded.
Also read: How Pakistan lost 9-33 to gift Asia Cup final advantage to India
The delayed presentation ceremony
The match concluded around 10.30pm local time, but it wasn’t close to midnight that the presentation ceremony finally began. It took a long while for the stage to be set, with ACC President Mohsin Naqvi taking his place with other dignitaries. He stayed at the dais for close to 35 minutes, as reported by Cricbuzz, and also undertook a few phone calls while being visibly animated.
The Pakistan players did not emerge from their dressing room until much later, by which time, the Asia Cup trophy was mysteriously removed from the stage.
It soon emerged that India had denied being handed the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister. According to reports, Naqvi was adamant that he would be handing over the trophy as ACC chief. India were willing to receive the trophy from a different representative: either Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni and Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Aminul Islam. But Naqvi did not budge.
No trophy
At the ceremony, four Indian players came up to collect their awards: Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhishek Sharma (Player of the Series) and Tilak Varma (Player of the Match). Pakistan captain Salman Agha was also present, and received the runners’ up cheque, posing with Naqvi. The India players did not acknowledge Naqvi, and captain Suryakumar Yadav did not come up to speak.
The ceremony ended abruptly, with presenter Simon Doull announcing: “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”.
Naqvi left the stadium – with the trophy – as some reports suggest. For the victorious India team, a placard that said “Champions” was brought out, before being taken back in. However, the team made their way to the dais and posed for photos, holding an imaginary trophy.
Final, India vs Pakistan
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SKY: “We were denied a well-deserved trophy”
At the press conference, captain Suryakumar Yadav said India had been denied a well-deserved trophy.
“This is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing cricket, since I started following cricket that a champion team is denied a trophy," Suryakumar said. "That too a hard-earned one, it's not like we got it easily.”
“It was a hard-earned tournament. We were here since the 4th [September], played two back-to-back good games. I feel we deserved it. I can't say anything more, I think I have summed it up really well.
"If you tell me about the trophies, my trophies are sitting in the dressing room, all the 14 guys with me, all the support staff. Those are the real trophies, who I have been a big fan of throughout this journey of Asia Cup. Those are the real trophies, the real moments which I am taking back as lovely memories and which will stay with me forever”.
“We were waiting for more than an hour and a half for the celebrations”, he later said in response to a different question. “Winning the tournament is more than that. That’s what matters,” Abhishek Sharma, also at the PC, added.
Through the night, the India players posted pictures from the celebrations, even "holding" a superimposed trophy emoji.
Agha: “India disrespected cricket”
At the press conference, Salman Agha called India’s conduct “disappointing and disrespectful” throughout the tournament.
"What India have done in this tournament is very disappointing," Agha said. "They're not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they're disrespecting cricket.
“Good teams don't do what they did today. We went to pose with the trophy on our own because we wanted to fulfill our obligations. We stood there and took our medals. I don't want to use harsh words but they've been very disrespectful."
BCCI secretary: “We will lodge a protest against Naqvi”
In the aftermath of the trophy controversy, Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, presented his board’s stance: “We have decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman (Naqvi) who happens to be the one of the main leaders of Pakistan, so we have decided not to take it from him. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy.
“We came along with the medals, so it is very unfortunate, very unsporting and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible.
“In the next ICC conference in Dubai in the first week of November, we are going to lodge a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson.
It’s safe to say that this isn’t the last we hear about this drama.
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