The 2025 Asia Cup, held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28, concluded with India defeating Pakistan in a final marred by political tensions and unsportsmanlike conduct. India secured its ninth Asia Cup title, but the victory was overshadowed by a series of incidents reflecting the strained relationship between the two nations.
The backdrop to the tournament was the ongoing political crisis and military conflict between India and Pakistan, sparked by an attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir earlier in the year. This incident led to a brief aerial war and heightened tensions, casting a shadow over the sporting event. Due to these tensions, the tournament was moved to the UAE, with matches held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, despite India initially being slated to host.
Throughout the Asia Cup, the India-Pakistan rivalry extended beyond the cricket field. Before and after the games, the Indian team refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. Jasprit Bumrah's send-off to Haris Rauf, mimicking a "crashing-plane motion" in response to Rauf's earlier gesture mocking Indian military action, went viral. Sahibzada Farhan, a Pakistani opener, also made a gesture of cradling his bat like a machine gun, which was perceived as upsetting by Indian fans.
The climax of the controversy occurred after India's five-wicket victory in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Indian team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Pakistan's interior minister. According to Devajit Saikia, chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), this decision was made because Naqvi is a prominent political leader in Pakistan. The presentation ceremony was delayed, and Naqvi eventually left with the trophy, leading to Indian players celebrating their win without it and later using trophy emojis in their social media posts.
This refusal to accept the trophy was criticized by some in Pakistan, with captain Salman Ali Agha calling India's behavior "disrespectful" to the game. The BCCI, however, announced plans to lodge a protest against Naqvi in the next International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting.
Even after the match, tensions remained high. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referenced the earlier conflict with Pakistan, celebrating the cricket win as an extension of "Operation Sindoor". This further politicized the event, drawing criticism and highlighting the deep-seated animosity between the two nations.
Despite the controversies, the Asia Cup 2025 did showcase some impressive performances. India's Abhishek Sharma was named Player of the Series for his outstanding performance with the bat, scoring 314 runs. Kuldeep Yadav from India took the most wickets with 17. The tournament featured eight teams, with matches played in the T20 International format.
