Why didn’t the Men in Blue get the trophy after winning the IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 final?

India completed an unbeaten run, maintaining a flawless 7-0 record in the Asia Cup 2025 to secure the title on Sunday. The finale saw the Men in Blue thrash their arch-rivals for the third time in the edition, sealing a 5-wicket victory in the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 final. While the winners showcased their dominance over Pakistan, Suryakumar Yadav and his men ended their glorious campaign in the subcontinental tournament without the Asia Cup trophy.

Exploiting his position as ACC Chair to fuel his inflated ego, Mohsin Naqvi walked away with the trophy after India refused to accept the honour from him. Trophy or not, India remain the champions, having defeated Naqvi’s team in the summit clash. However, owing to Naqvi’s blatant misuse of power, the unbeaten champions will return without the Asia Cup in their hands.

Mohsin Naqvi walks away with the trophy as Men in Blue refuse to receive the honour from him after the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 final win

Team India was poised as the clear favorite to win the Asia Cup 2025. However, their form, which was a class apart from other participants, especially Pakistan, does not mean the team didn’t put in hard work. India’s unbeaten run in the Asia Cup included a clean 3-0 record against Salman Ali Agha and his side. Furthermore, Suryakumar and Co. clinched a hard-fought victory over Sri Lanka in the Super Over to enter the Asia Cup 2025 final undefeated. Yet, despite their undisputed dominance, the team did not receive the trophy, the ultimate symbol of their triumph.

The dramatic outcome, as witnessed following the conclusion of the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 final had been anticipated well before the summit clash. The fact that India won't take the trophy from the hands of Mohsin Naqvi was as clear as belief that the Men in Blue will thrash Pakistan to win the tournamet. Apart from being the ACC Chair, Naqvi is also the PCB head and an interior minister in Pakistan. 

Naqvi has been the key prospect behind the India vs Pakistan controversy brewing right from the start of the Asia Cup. It was the PCB chief who demanded the removal of Andy Pycroft and threatened to pull out of the tournament after the handshake row. Naqvi further inflamed matters by posting provocative videos on X (formerly Twitter), where he mocked India and alluded to Pakistan’s claims of shooting down Indian jets during Operation Sindoor.

Moreover, Naqvi, reportedly came forward to pay the fine imposed on Haris Rauf for his offensive gestures during the India vs Pakistan Super 4s clash. The ACC Chair, furthermore, also directed his team to do whatever they wanted against India on the field in the Asia Cup 2025 final, assuring them that he would deal with the repercussions. With his antics as cheap as his team's performance against India, it was crystal clear that Naqvi would not gain any respect or acknowledgement from the champions.

As a result, the Indian players made it clear they would accept the Asia Cup trophy only from Khalid Al Zarooni, the Vice Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. Naqvi, however, refused to concede and insisted on personally presenting the cup. The deadlock triggered an extended delay of nearly 45 minutes during the post-match ceremony. While players such as Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, and Tilak Varma collected their individual awards, the overall presentation was cut short, and Naqvi eventually exited the venue, reportedly leaving with the trophy in hand.

Adding to the confusion, the victory dais was not even set up until 20 minutes after Rinku Singh’s winning shot, and the Indian squad waited in one corner of the field while officials scrambled to negotiate a resolution. Match referee Richie Richardson and the on-field umpires also attempted to mediate but were unsuccessful. By the time the matter reached a stalemate, most spectators had already departed, with only a handful staying back to watch Abhishek and Tilak interact with Simon Doull.

BCCI set to take stern action against Naqvi for the Asia Cup trophy controversy

The controversy has now escalated beyond the Asia Cup 2025. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing to lodge a “strong and serious” protest against Naqvi during the upcoming ICC conference in Dubai. The Indian board views the incident as a blatant breach of sporting protocol, especially as the Asia Cup 2025 final concluded in chaos with the trophy presentation abandoned altogether.

According to reports, Naqvi made sure no one else handed the trophy to India, determined to present it himself despite the firm objections of Suryakumar Yadav and his team. This episode appears to have exhausted the BCCI’s patience. With Naqvi’s repeated provocations and the debacle during the final ceremony, many see the presentation fiasco as the last straw in a series of escalating disputes. 

"We have decided not to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the senior leaders of Pakistan. That was a conscious decision. This does not give him the right to take the trophy and the medals with him. It is extremely unfortunate and unsportsmanlike. We hope the trophy and medals will be returned to India as soon as possible," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said.

Team India, meanwhile, did not need any trophy to validate their victory in the Asia Cup 2025 final. The team still celebrated jubilantly after Naqvi left the premises, taking the trophy with him. The Indian cricketers, including Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, and Shubman Gill, have posted about the win. Suryakumar Yadav even imagined a cup as the boys enacted lifting it.