Dubai(National Times)- Igniting a new controversy, the Indian cricket team refused to receive the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also heading the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB). The move reportedly came on the directives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after India became the Asia Cup champions by defeating Pakistan in the tournament final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Despite pressure, Naqvi remained firm on his decision to present the trophy himself, refusing to bow to India’s demands. The development has sparked attention during the high-profile final in Dubai, highlighting tensions off the field. The post-match ceremony was concluded without a trophy handover to the Men in Blue. Despite losing the Asia Cup final, Pakistan players exhibited sportsmanship by attending the post-match ceremony and collecting medals as the tournament’s runners-up. According to insiders, the stance was a continuation of India’s rigid approach throughout the tournament, where they insisted on conditions separate from neutral arrangements. “The trophy will not be handed over to India,” sources privy to this development told Geo News, after Men in Blue’s recent stunt. The organisers took the Asia Cup trophy with them despite the Indian team staying in the ground, expecting to get the title trophy after the post-match ceremony. For the unversed, the closing ceremony of the eight-team started after an hour-long delay, with India’s Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma receiving individual awards for their respective performances in the summit clash, while Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha collected the prize money cheque for finishing as the runners-up. Later, Kuldeep was invited again to collect the award for finishing as the highest wicket-taker of the Asia Cup 2025, followed by left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma, who was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for scoring 314 runs in seven innings at an average of 44.85. The closing ceremony concluded without the winning team receiving the trophy, as presenter Simon Doull confirmed its conclusion. “I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation,” informed Doull. Before this move, Indian captain Yadav once again refused a customary handshake with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss today, marking the third such snub. The handshake snub comes in the backdrop of an ongoing row between the arch-rivals, stemming from the group-stage clash to the final, which attracted considerable attention both on and off the field.
Yadav ducks queries, rues missing trophy after win
Yadav faced a barrage of questions from journalists after the Asia Cup T20 final, but his answers left many reporters frustrated. Instead of addressing concerns, Yadav sidestepped questions about sportsmanship violations during the tournament. When asked about the trophy, the Indian captain appeared evasive. “We were never told anything about the trophy,” Yadav said. “It was a decision we took on the ground. I even saw the champions’ board come and go.” In an unusual complaint, Yadav said, “We played good cricket in the Asia Cup, but the trophy was not given to us. We felt the trophy in spirit.” He added that in his career, he had never seen a winning team go without receiving the trophy. Reporters asked Yadav why politics came into the game, why he did not shake hands with the Pakistani team, and why he broke sportsmanship rules. He did not answer clearly and avoided the questions. The situation got worse when the Indian media manager stopped a Pakistani journalist from asking a question. People in the room looked upset. By the end, the mood was heavy. It was not just the match result that people were thinking about. Fans and reporters were also worried about how the tournament was played and the behaviour of the teams.
