In a dramatic twist following India’s thrilling win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai, the Indian cricket team was not awarded the tournament trophy after refusing to accept it from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi.
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets on September 28, chasing 147 with just two balls to spare. The victory marked a successful title defense, but celebrations turned controversial when the post-match presentation was delayed for nearly an hour. Broadcasters later confirmed that India would not be collecting the winners’ trophy or medals.
According to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, the team was unwilling to take the award from Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Reports suggest Indian officials had requested that the presentation be handled by another dignitary, but Naqvi insisted on carrying out the ceremony himself.
With the standoff unresolved, the trophy and medals were taken away by Naqvi, sparking outrage among players, officials, and fans. BCCI criticized the move, calling it “unacceptable,” and announced plans to raise the matter at the ICC meeting in November.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed disappointment, remarking that while he had “never seen a champion team not getting a trophy,” his “real trophies” were the teammates who fought hard for victory.
The unprecedented incident has stirred debate over the intrusion of politics into cricket, overshadowing what should have been a celebration of India’s hard-fought triumph.
In a startling postscript to what was already a dramatic Asia Cup 2025 final, India’s cricket team was not presented with the Asia Cup trophy or winners’ medals after defeating Pakistan — because the players refused to accept them from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. The New Indian Express+3Reuters+3ESPN.com+3
What Happened: Timeline of Events
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Thrilling Win
On 28 September 2025, India pulled off a tense five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Dubai final, chasing down 147 with just 2 balls to spare. ESPN.com+3AP News+3Wikipedia+3 -
Delay & Confusion in Presentation
After the match, the trophy presentation was delayed by nearly an hour. Broadcasters announced that “the ACC has informed us that the Indian team will not be collecting their awards tonight.” href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/cricket/india-beat-pakistan-final-retain-asia-cup-title-2025-09-28/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The New Indian Express+4Reuters+4ESPN.com+4 -
Refusal to Accept from Naqvi
According to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, India’s contingent decided not to take the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. Saikia stated:“We have decided not to take the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan.” ESPN.com+2NDTV Sports+2
The Indian side reportedly was willing to accept the trophy from another dignitary (e.g. an Emirates Cricket Board official, Khalid Al Zarooni), but Naqvi would not yield his role in the ceremony. The New Indian Express+3The Indian Express+3ESPN.com+3
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Trophy Taken Away
With the impasse unresolved, the trophy and winners’ medals were quietly taken offstage. Mohsin Naqvi left the stadium with them, further igniting the controversy. India Today+5NDTV Sports+5NDTV Sports+5 -
Protest to ICC
The BCCI has pledged to lodge a strong protest at the next ICC meeting in November against Naqvi’s conduct. The Economic Times+2NDTV Sports+2
Why India Refused: Underlying Reasons
The refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi was driven by multiple intertwined factors:
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Political Tensions & National Sentiment
The relationship between India and Pakistan is currently fraught, especially following a military escalation in May. Accepting a trophy from a Pakistani official who is simultaneously ACC chief and Interior Minister was seen by Indian authorities as untenable. Hindustan Times+4Reuters+4ESPN.com+4 -
Provocative Social Media Posts
One reported trigger was Naqvi’s activity on social media: he had reposted imagery that Indian authorities found provocative and insensitive (e.g. fighter jets, symbolic visuals) — which fueled resentment among Indian players and cricket officials. India Today+3The Indian Express+3ESPN.com+3 -
Precedent & Communication
Indian cricket leaders reportedly gave advance notice that they would not accept the trophy from Naqvi. When he insisted on officiating the presentation himself, India chose to make a stand. Hindustan Times+4ESPN.com+4The New Indian Express+4 -
Principle over Ceremony
For India, refusing to accept the trophy was not a rejection of their victory, but a symbolic gesture — signaling that the act of awarding by Naqvi would undermine the dignity of the win. Reuters+4ESPN.com+4NDTV Sports+4
Reactions & Fallout
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BCCI’s Criticism
The BCCI criticized Naqvi’s act of walking away with the trophy and medals as “unacceptable” and vowed to press the issue at the ICC level. NDTV Sports+1 -
Players’ Response
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed surprise and disappointment at the turn of events, but also emphasized that the real “trophy” lies in his teammates. He said:“I have never seen a champion (team) not getting a trophy. We deserved it… the real trophies are my 14 colleagues.” Reuters+3The Indian Express+3ESPN.com+3
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Public & Media Outcry
The spectacle drew sharp criticism from analysts and fans, who said the “spirit of cricket” was compromised by the over-politicization of the event. Mohsin Naqvi’s critics accused him of undermining decorum and dragging nationalism into sport. The Times of India+4The Times of India+4Reuters+4 -
Diplomatic Undercurrent
Many observers saw this as a blow to attempts at “cricket diplomacy” between the two nations — with political disagreements spilling over into sporting arenas. The Guardian+1
Why This Is Unprecedented
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In the history of major cricket tournaments, it is extremely rare — if not unique — for a team to decline to accept a trophy after a final.
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The only awards handed out were individual honors (e.g. Player of the Match, Player of the Tournament), which Indian players accepted — albeit without acknowledging Naqvi. The Economic Times+4Reuters+4The New Indian Express+4
In an unprecedented turn of events, the celebrations for India's Asia Cup victory were overshadowed by a major controversy during the post-match presentation ceremony.
Sources reveal that the Indian players refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Key Details of the Incident:
The Standoff: India had communicated to the ACC that they would not accept the trophy from Naqvi.
The team was willing to receive the award from Khalid Al Zarooni, the Vice-Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, who was also present. ACC Insistence: Despite India's clear stance, Naqvi insisted on presenting the trophy himself, leading to a prolonged delay of over an hour.
Trophy Taken Away: As the impasse continued, the winners' trophy and medals were reportedly taken away from the stage by officials.
Celebration without Trophy: The Indian team, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, celebrated their victory on the podium without the physical trophy.
In the post-match press conference, a visibly frustrated Suryakumar Yadav stated, "I have never seen a champion team being denied a trophy." BCCI Reaction: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia condemned the act, calling it "very unfortunate and unsporting."
He confirmed that the BCCI will lodge a strong protest against Naqvi's actions at the next ICC conference in November and demanded the return of the trophy and medals.
The incident is the latest in a series of tense moments between the two teams throughout the tournament, which included India's "no handshake" policy with Pakistani players and Naqvi's earlier controversial statements.
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