India’s exhilarating five-wicket win against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final was supposed to be a joyous celebration for the champions. However, the post-match events quickly spiraled into disorder when Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan minister Mohsin Naqvi controversially declined to adhere to established protocol, preventing India from accepting their well-deserved trophy and winner’s medals.
The dispute ignited when the Indian team, referencing Naqvi’s official role as a representative of Pakistan, politely refused to receive the trophy from him. Efforts by ACC officials to find a compromise, suggesting Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni step in, were swiftly thwarted by Naqvi. Following an extended hour-long deadlock, the trophy was discreetly removed by organizers. Meanwhile, individual star players like India’s Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma were still honored for their performances.
The crowd reacted with strong disapproval, echoing chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and booing Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, as he neared the presentation stage. Simultaneously, the Pakistani team remained sequestered in their dressing room long after the game, leaving Naqvi in an awkward and noticeably uncomfortable position.
The controversy intensified further when Naqvi posted a highly inflammatory message on X (formerly Twitter). Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory remarks for India’s win, Naqvi declared: “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands. No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.”
This provocative statement drew immediate and widespread condemnation from cricket analysts and fans alike, who accused Naqvi of politicizing the sport and showing profound disrespect to the victorious champions. The entire episode followed earlier signs of tension, as the Indian team had already expressed their disapproval by refraining from handshakes with Pakistani players during the tournament and opting out of the traditional pre-match photoshoot. Naqvi’s efforts to further inflame the situation extended beyond the field, even involving a demand to the ICC that Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav be charged for expressing solidarity with the Indian Army following the Pahalgam terror attack.