In a stunning revelation that adds a new chapter to the perplexing Asia Cup 2025 trophy saga, young Indian batting sensation Tilak Varma has finally disclosed the events of September 28. That night, Suryakumar Yadav’s Indian squad controversially declined to receive the coveted trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) head, Mohsin Naqvi.
Despite India’s convincing five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Stadium almost a month ago, the champions still await their prize. Recent reports suggest the trophy has been controversially relocated from ACC headquarters in Dubai to an undisclosed spot in Abu Dhabi.
Varma, who earned the Player of the Match title for his spectacular 69 runs off 53 balls in the final, recounted the extraordinary circumstances during a recent appearance on ‘Breakfast with Champions’. “We genuinely waited at the ground for an entire hour,” he recalled. “If you watch the TV footage, you’ll even see me lying on the grass. Arshdeep Singh was busy filming videos. We just kept waiting, expecting the trophy to appear at any moment. But it was nowhere to be seen.”
To maintain morale amidst the confusion, the team improvised their own celebration. “Arshdeep suggested we create our own atmosphere—celebrate just like we did after the 2024 T20 World Cup, but without the actual trophy,” Varma explained with a chuckle. “Abhishek Sharma and about five or six others enthusiastically agreed, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Behind the joyous facade, tensions were mounting. The post-match presentation was held up for almost 90 minutes because Naqvi reportedly insisted on being the sole presenter of the trophy. Subsequently, a BCCI official learned that the silverware had been taken from the presentation dais and was now in Naqvi’s personal possession.
The BCCI has formally requested the ACC for the trophy to be officially handed over. However, Naqvi has maintained a firm stance, demanding that an Indian official personally travel to Dubai to collect it.
Reflecting on India’s successful campaign, Varma shared, “We were confident, but cricket is an unpredictable game. One bad day, and it’s all over.” He humbly added about his match-winning performance in the final, “I can’t play like that every single day.”
As it stands, India’s memorable Asia Cup triumph remains symbolically unfulfilled, with their well-deserved trophy still caught in the crossfire of this escalating international cricketing dispute.