India's Asia Cup 2025 victory over Pakistan was met with an unusual turn of events during the post-match presentation ceremony, as the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan's interior minister. This led to a symbolic celebration where the players hoisted an imaginary trophy and used trophy emojis on social media to mark their triumph.
The refusal to accept the trophy stemmed from rising tensions and political undertones that had permeated the tournament. Throughout the Asia Cup, Indian players had avoided shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts. Before the final, Suryakumar Yadav declined to pose with Naqvi and Pakistan's captain for the pre-match photo shoot. The final was the first-ever India-Pakistan summit clash in Asia Cup history, amplifying the intensity.
Following India's victory, the presentation ceremony was delayed by over an hour. Reports indicated the Indian team's unwillingness to receive the trophy from Naqvi. Presenter Simon Doull announced that the Indian team would not be collecting their awards. An official was seen removing the Asia Cup trophy from its place. The Indian team stood firm, insisting the award be handed by another dignitary. Eventually, individual awards were distributed by other officials, but the championship trophy was removed from the stage.
After the dignitaries left, the Indian team returned to the podium to celebrate their win without the trophy. Captain Suryakumar Yadav led the team in a symbolic celebration run, pretending to hold the trophy. He even recreated Rohit Sharma's iconic walk and celebration style. Yadav later stated that he had never seen a champion team denied their trophy, emphasizing that the team deserved it. He added that the real trophies were his 14 colleagues, and they would stay in his memory.
The team leaned into symbolic gestures, with players posting images of the celebration using trophy emojis on social media. Shubman Gill posted a picture with Abhishek Sharma, placing a virtual trophy between them. Hardik Pandya, who missed the final, also joined in by adding a photoshopped trophy to his celebration post. Arshdeep Singh shared a video imitating Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed's celebration.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that India would file a formal protest with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Suryakumar Yadav called the situation unprecedented, stating, "It is shocking for a champion team to be denied a trophy". He also confirmed that the team had decided not to receive the trophy from Naqvi and that nobody had forced them to take this stand. He clarified that the trophy was not awarded because of their decision and that India was willing to receive it from Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khaled Al Zaruni, but Naqvi did not permit it.
The incident has intensified the already strained cricketing ties between India and Pakistan and raised questions about future tournament protocols. The controversy followed days of rising tensions, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistani players during earlier encounters. This year's edition has been the most politically charged in the Asia Cup's 41-year history.
