India Refuse to Accept Asia Cup Trophy from Mohsin Naqvi After Beating Pakistan in Final
India beat Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final but refused to accept the trophy from PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi in Dubai.
India are the new Asia Cup champions after defeating Pakistan by five wickets in a tense final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The contest swung back and forth, but India held their nerve in the last over to lift their ninth Asia Cup title.
The players celebrated with passion on the field, but the real drama unfolded after the match. When it was time for the presentation, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Asian Cricket Council chief, Mohsin Naqvi.
As per reports, the trophy was eventually handed over by Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni after a long delay. The refusal is being seen as India’s firm response to the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year and the uneasy relations that followed.
The build-up to the final had already been tense. From the very first league game, India had declined to shake hands with Pakistan players, a move that led to PCB filing a complaint against match referee Andy Pycroft. On the field too, things boiled over with fiery celebrations, heated exchanges, and fines for both Suryakumar Yadav and Haris Rauf.
In his post-match comments, Suryakumar Yadav once again mentioned Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam attack, making it clear that the emotions ran far beyond the cricket field. Pakistan players had earlier made political gestures during matches, which only worsened the atmosphere.
As the evening ended, the Indian squad celebrated without the trophy in their hands. Reports even claimed that Naqvi left the venue with the silverware, leaving the podium without its centrepiece.
For India, though, the bigger statement was already made. They had beaten Pakistan three times in the same tournament, and on the biggest stage of them all, they chose to walk away with victory but without Naqvi’s handshake.
