In a bizarre turn of events following India’s commanding five-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Stadium, the Indian cricket team celebrated their triumph without the actual winner’s trophy.
The unusual situation quickly caught the attention of fans and even an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise. The Delhi Capitals humorously “fixed” the trophy-less celebration by digitally adding the trophy to India’s joyous team footage and sharing it on social media with the caption “fixed it.”
The match itself saw India successfully chase down Pakistan’s total of 146/10, reaching 150/5 to secure the Asia Cup title.
The controversy unfolded when Team India, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, reportedly declined to accept the trophy and medals from Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi holds dual roles as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, in addition to being an interim minister in the Pakistani government.
This decision by the Indian side was a direct consequence of escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. Relations had severely deteriorated following a recent terrorist attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, and India’s subsequent military response, “Operation Sindoor.”
The trophy presentation ceremony was notably delayed by an entire hour. During this prolonged period, the Indian players, coaches, and support staff remained on the field, while Naqvi and other dignitaries waited on the stage.
Reports indicate that India had initially requested that Emirates Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni present the trophy. However, Mohsin Naqvi firmly insisted on personally handling the medal distribution.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not taken the incident lightly. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia publicly stated, “There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson.”