India Lift Asia Cup; Denied Trophy by PCB Chief Naqvi

In an unprecedented turn of events, India celebrated their Asia Cup victory on Sunday night without ever touching the tournament trophy. The champions stood on the presentation dais, smiling for photographs, but no medals hung around their necks, and no silverware gleamed in their hands. The reason: a quiet but firm protest against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi.

A Stand on the Podium

Sources confirmed that the Indian team collectively decided not to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and a senior minister in the Pakistani government. The decision came amid growing diplomatic tension between the two nations, particularly after Naqvi’s controversial social media post during the tournament.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav later told reporters that the team’s decision was made independently and without any directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“We as a team decided not to take the trophy (from Mohsin Naqvi). Nobody told us to do so. But I feel a team that wins the tournament deserves the trophy,” Suryakumar said after the match.

India reportedly requested that Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, who shared the stage with Naqvi, present the trophy instead. However, the request was denied by Naqvi, leading to a deadlock.

Denied the Trophy They Earned

Following India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the final, confusion marred the post-match ceremony. Officials, players, and dignitaries waited awkwardly for more than an hour as discussions unfolded behind the scenes. When it became clear that India would not receive the trophy from Naqvi, the presentation was abruptly called off.

A visibly disappointed Suryakumar voiced his disbelief:

“This is one thing that I have never seen since I started playing and following cricket—that a champion team is denied a trophy. We played two back-to-back games and earned this win. We deserved it.”

While Pakistan’s players collected their runners-up medals, and India’s Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma received individual awards for Player of the Series and Player of the Tournament respectively, the champions themselves were left without their crowning symbol.

Celebration Without Silverware

When the dignitaries finally left the stage, the Indian players returned for a subdued celebration. The confetti flew, music blared, and fans cheered—but the trophy table stood empty. Players danced, posed for photos, and waved to the crowd before quietly leaving the Dubai International Stadium.

Despite the controversy, the victory itself was emphatic. India’s spin trio—Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel—triggered a dramatic Pakistani collapse from 113 for 1 to 146 all out. Tilak Varma then anchored the chase with a composed, unbeaten 69 to seal India’s third win over Pakistan this tournament.

A Triumph Overshadowed

The political undertones of the evening have inevitably overshadowed India’s dominant cricketing performance. The Asia Cup final came amid strained bilateral relations, following the Pahalgam terror attack in April and subsequent cross-border hostilities in May.

By refusing to accept the trophy, India’s cricketers made a powerful statement—one that extended far beyond the boundary ropes. Whether the Asia Cup trophy eventually finds its way to Mumbai remains to be seen, but for now, Suryakumar’s words perhaps sum it up best:

“If you ask me about trophies, I already have 14 in my dressing room. My teammates and support staff are the real trophies—those moments will stay with me forever.”

India may have walked away without silverware in hand—but they did so with their heads held high.