Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, acting as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman, withheld the Asia Cup trophy from the Indian cricket team after they refused to accept it from him, sparking a major post-match controversy.
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The dramatic standoff unfolded over 90 minutes at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium following India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in a thrilling Asia Cup final on Sunday. While the on-field performance was gripping, the chaos that ensued during the trophy presentation quickly stole the spotlight, overshadowing the cricketing triumph itself.
What did Naqvi say?
The controversy started when India declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC chief and Pakistani minister Mohsin Naqvi, citing his political position and anti-India stance.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday likened the India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup to Operation Sindoor, and said the outcome remained the same and India won. He said on X, “Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”
In an effort to defuse the situation, ACC officials proposed that Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni handle the trophy presentation, but Naqvi reportedly blocked the arrangement.
After nearly an hour-long standoff, the trophy was quietly removed, while individual Indian performers like Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma were honoured separately.
Adding fuel to the fire, Naqvi later posted on X in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory post on the team’s victory.
Naqvi wrote, “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.”
India had named its military operation “Operation Sindoor” following the Pahalgam terror attack, as it targeted terrorists based in Pakistan and then engaged in a conflict with the Pakistani military.
The Asia Cup was being held in the backdrop of border tensions between India and Pakistan after 26 tourists were killed by terrorists in Pahalgam earlier this year leading to military action by India under Operation Sindoor.
(With inputs from agencies)
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