How Asia Cup 2025 trophy presentation turned into a diplomatic standoff

DUBAI: What should person been a triumphant infinitesimal for Indian cricket descended into unprecedented contention astatine the Dubai International Stadium connected Sunday, arsenic the Asia Cup trophy presumption turned into a diplomatic standoff pursuing India’s thrilling five-wicket triumph implicit Pakistan.Rinku Singh’s match-winning runs sparked chaotic celebrations among the Indian contingent, with Tilak Verma’s magnificent unbeaten 69 earning him Player of the Match honours. But the jubilation was rapidly overshadowed by an bonzer post-match fiasco that saw the champions celebrating without their trophy.

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Following their defeat, the Pakistan squad retreated to the dressing country and remained determination for implicit an hour, portion Indian players and coaching unit completed their broadcast duties.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi — who besides serves arsenic Pakistan Cricket Board president and Pakistan’s interior curate -- and others past waited connected the podium for astir 20 minutes for the trophy presumption to begin.

As the hold stretched on, it emerged that the Indian squad had refused to person the trophy from Naqvi.India’s stance had been wide passim the tourney — the squad avoided handshakes and pleasantries with Pakistani players successful each 3 encounters.

The squad is besides believed to person been irked with Naqvi due to the fact that of his caller societal media posts, including 1 successful which helium posted a video of Cristiano Ronaldo making a 'crashing plane' gesture. He besides reposted an representation successful which Pakistan cricketers Salman Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi are seen wearing formation suits with images of airborne combatant jets successful the background.The Indian squad absorption categorically told ACC officials that they were "not okay" with receiving awards from Naqvi.

This was conveyed to Naqvi immediately. However, Naqvi refused to budge and the Indian squad besides refused to locomotion up to the podium. The squad did bespeak that it was consenting to judge the trophy and medals from Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni alternatively of Naqvi. However, the petition was declined. Naqvi insisted connected conducting the presumption himself. When it became wide helium was not going to get his way, helium ordered the trophy to beryllium removed from the venue.Indian supporters greeted Naqvi’s accomplishment astatine the presumption signifier with boos and chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Pakistani players, peculiarly accelerated bowlers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, were besides jeered by the crowd.When the Pakistan squad was called to cod the runners-up medals, Naqvi initially refused to instrumentality part. Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam yet stepped successful to contiguous them, portion Naqvi handed the runners-up cheque to Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha — who threw it aside.Commentator Simon Doull past announced, “I person been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket squad volition not beryllium collecting their awards tonight. So that concludes the post-match presentation.”

Naqvi promptly near the stadium — taking the trophy and medals with him.The Indian squad stayed connected the tract for much than 90 minutes, waiting for clarity. Groundsmen doubly brought retired the 'champions' committee earlier removing it again.

Eventually, the players decided to observe connected their ain terms.Hardik Pandya was archetypal to measurement onto the podium for a selfie, soon joined by the full squad and enactment staff. Captain Suryakumar Yadav adjacent recreated Rohit Sharma’s iconic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph locomotion — this clip holding an imaginary trophy.“The triumph is important. If you saw aft the match, ‘India’ was written connected the large screen. ‘Asia Cup 2025 Champions’ — what’s amended than that? You play for that,” Surya told the media.“It was a large moment. Great journey. Great run for america arsenic a team. We had a batch of fun,"added Surya.Surya was withering astir his squad not getting to hoist the trophy. “I person ne'er seen a champion squad being denied a trophy, particularly 1 that was truthful hard-earned,” helium said. But helium was speedy to add, "My trophies are sitting successful the dressing country — each 14 guys with me, the enactment unit — those are the existent trophies of this Asia Cup.”Man of the Tournament Abhishek Sharma lightened the temper with a cheeky remark: “We really got one. Surya bhai brought it! We felt it, we knew its weight.”Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, however, defended Naqvi’s position. “If helium is the ACC president, past helium volition lone springiness the trophy. If you don’t privation to instrumentality it from him, however volition you get a trophy?” Agha besides accused India of disrespecting cricket.Later successful the nighttime BCCI caput Devajit Saikia issued a crisp connection condemning the incident.“We decided not to judge the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who represents a state presently astatine likelihood with ours. That was our stance. But this does not springiness him the close to instrumentality distant the trophy and medals. It is highly unfortunate and unsportsmanlike. We anticipation the trophy and medals are returned to India arsenic soon arsenic possible. We volition lodge a ceremonial protestation astatine the ICC league successful Dubai this Nov,” Saikia told ANI successful Mumbai.The play didn't extremity there. After PM Modi's station connected X congratulating the Indian cricket squad for its triumph -- which helium described arsenic different Operation Sindoor -- went viral, Naqvi posted a crisp effect connected the microblogging platform."If warfare were your measurement of pride, past already records your humiliating defeats astatine Pakistan's hands. No cricket lucifer tin rewrite that truth. Dragging warfare into athletics lone exposes desperation and disgraces the precise tone of the game," Naqvi posted, seemingly forgetting the galore defeats suffered by Pakistan -- including the 1971 warfare and the Kargil struggle -- and the harm inflicted to it by Operation Sindoor.Surya, incidentally, thanked PM Modi for his support. "It feels bully erstwhile the country's person himself bats connected the beforehand foot; it felt similar helium took the onslaught and scored runs," helium told ANI.India–Pakistan matches stay the biggest gully for broadcasters and organisers, a guaranteed gross generator. With the T20 World Cup looming aboriginal adjacent year, each eyes volition beryllium connected the groupings — and whether the arch-rivals are erstwhile again placed successful the aforesaid excavation to warrant astatine slightest 1 blockbuster clash.In a heartfelt gesture, India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav announced that helium would donate his full lucifer interest from the T20 Asia Cup to the Armed Forces. Surya said the publication was a idiosyncratic inaugural to honour their sacrifices and service. “It’s a motion from me. I privation to donate the lucifer fees from each the games I’ve played successful this Asia Cup to the Armed Forces,” Surya said.