India Clinch Asia Cup, But Suryakumar Yadav Misses Out on Trophy Moment

India Refuse Asia Cup Trophy in Protest Against Mohsin Naqvi’s Role.

The 2025 Asia Cup ended in dramatic fashion at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday as the Indian cricket team declined to collect the winners’ trophy. The unprecedented protest came after it was confirmed that the presentation would be made by Mohsin Naqvi — chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Pakistan’s interior minister.

India had beaten Pakistan by five wickets in a tense final that went down to the last over, powered by Tilak Varma’s unbeaten half-century and Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul. But the post-match scenes overshadowed the on-field triumph.

For more than an hour after the game, Naqvi stood on stage with other dignitaries as the ceremony stalled. The Indian players remained away from the podium, making it clear they would not accept the trophy from Naqvi. According to reports, the BCCI fully backed the team’s stance, with players willing to receive the cup from another dignitary — but not from the ACC chief.

Despite attempts to negotiate, Naqvi insisted that only he, as ACC president, could hand over the trophy. Eventually, the standoff ended with a truncated ceremony. Three Indian cricketers — Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Kuldeep Yadav — received their individual awards from other officials, while the Pakistan team accepted their runners-up medals.

When the moment came to present the winners’ trophy, broadcaster Simon Doull announced that India had declined to accept it. The ceremony was then concluded without the traditional trophy handover, marking one of the most unusual endings to a major ICC event.