India Refuses Asia Cup Trophy After Chaos

Dubai, September 28 2025 — In an unexpected development, Team India, after a thrilling, last-ball victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, rejected the winners’ trophy and medals at the trophy presentation. The move to walk off the stage was directed at Mohsin Naqvi, president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who was about to podium to present the awards.

An Exciting Final Match

• Pakistan scored 146 in 19.1 overs, losing 9 wickets after reaching 113/1 (falling apart).

• India scored the winning runs by 5 wickets with two balls remaining.

• Tilak Varma anchored the innings for India finishing 69 not out off of 53 balls. Africa also provided a critical quick (33 off 21).

• Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets with the ball to stop Pakistan’s momentum.

Chaos During the Presentation

1. Started Late

The presentation was about an hour late because the Pakistan team initially refused to leave their dressing room.

2. Full Circle for Mohsin Naqvi

As President of the ACC he was supposed to pass out the trophy, however, India had apparently told ACC officials in advance that they would not present any awards to him.

3. Abrupt End

Broadcaster Simon Doull shocked the packed Dubai crowd with his next statement:

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been in contact with the Asian Cricket Council, and the Indian Cricket Team will not be collecting their awards tonight. And with that we will conclude the post-match presentation.”

The trophy was discretely taken off the stage and sent to the Indian dressing room.

4. Individual Awards Only

Despite the willingness to have a proper trophy ceremony, the team did accept their individual awards:

• Tilak Varma – Player of the Match

• Abhishek Sharma – Player of the Tournament

• Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube – special performance awards

Political Tensions Disrupt Cricket

• Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was later disappointed. He said that this was the first major tournament he played where a winning team was not allowed to have a trophy ceremony.

• The Asian Cricket Council was criticized for not controlling the situation properly.

• Immediately after the match, Pakistan captain Salman Agha called India’s decision “disrespectful to the game.”

• From the Indian perspective, the declining commercialization of the trophy ceremony was interpreted as a protest against Naqvi, who had confronted Indian players during the group stages.

The final of the 2025 Asia Cup was not just a classic encounter between India and Pakistan on the pitch, and reflected that political and administrative division away from it. India may have kept the Asia Cup title, but their refusal to receive the trophy on stage made headlines worldwide — all in all, a moment that should’ve been a cricketing celebration turned into one of the most controversial incidents in Asia Cup history.