From the outset of the final, tension was apparent. Pakistan, put into bat, collapsed spectacularly to 146 all out after reaching 113 for one. Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets, abetted by tight spells from Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy. India, after a shaky start losing early wickets, steadied under Tilak Varma, who remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls, and a crucial 60-run stand with Shivam Dube. Rinku Singh struck the winning boundary with two balls remaining, sealing India’s ninth Asia Cup title.
The controversy erupted in the post-match ceremony. As dignitaries assembled on the stage, India’s players declined to accept the trophy or winners’ medals from Naqvi, citing his dual role as ACC President and Pakistan’s Interior Minister. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia later confirmed the decision, stating that India would not take the trophy from “one of the main leaders of Pakistan.” The team had requested that Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni perform the presentation; that request was denied and the trophy was eventually removed from the dais and carried off the field.
When the presentation began, only the Indian players—Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, and Kuldeep Yadav—ascended the stage to accept individual awards from other officials. Naqvi remained on stage, removed the trophy himself, and exited. The Pakistan team then accepted their runners-up medals and cheque; their captain threw the cheque aside. ACC officials, including Naqvi, left immediately thereafter.
This marks the first time, in Asia Cup history, that a champion team was denied the trophy on the field. The Indian side had for the duration of the tournament refused handshake protocols with their Pakistani counterparts, and declined the customary pre-toss photo. The tensions framed not merely as cricket rivalry but as a flashpoint for wider political and diplomatic rifts between the two nations.
Speculation has emerged about what precipitated the decision. Some reports point to Naqvi’s social media behaviour, including reposting images perceived as provocative, which may have inflamed Indian sensitivities ahead of the ceremony. Others suggest that the Indian leadership had pre-emptively taken a hard line, given lingering fallout from the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year and a subsequent military confrontation between the nations.
The BCCI has indicated it will lodge a formal protest at the forthcoming ICC meeting in November, accusing the ACC chairperson of misconduct. Within Indian political circles, the team’s stance has been lauded as principled, with leaders praising their resolve to separate sport from perceived symbolism. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials and cricket administrators have expressed disappointment, condemning the incident as undermining the spirit of the sport.