The Asia Cup 2025 final ended in high drama both on and off the field. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, defeated Pakistan by chasing 147 runs with five wickets in hand, thanks to Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69. However, the celebrations turned sour as the team was denied the trophy. Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as PCB chief and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, left the stadium with the trophy.
The Indian players refused to accept the award from him, citing his biased conduct. Throughout the tournament, the India-Pakistan rivalry had already produced tense moments, but this incident was seen as the biggest controversy. The post-match ceremony was delayed by nearly an hour, and despite individual awards being handed to Kuldeep Yadav and Abhishek Sharma, broadcaster Simon Doull concluded the event by announcing, “I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation.”
Suryakumar’s Emotional Response
In the press conference alongside Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar expressed his disappointment, stressing that he had never witnessed such treatment. “This is one thing which I have never seen. Since I started playing cricket, I have been following cricket. That a champion team is denied a trophy. That too, a hard earned one. It’s not like it happened easily. But it was a hard-earned victory. We have been here since the 4th, and played a game today. Two back-to-back good games in two days. I feel we deserved it. And I can’t say anything more. I think I have summed it up really well,” he told reporters.
He further reflected on the true meaning of success for the team, saying, “If you tell me about the trophies. My trophies are sitting in my dressing room. All 14 guys are with me. All the support staff. Those are the real trophies. I have been a big fan of these boys throughout this journey of the Asia Cup. Since we came here, we have played this tournament. We started our preparations. I think those are the real trophies. Real moments which I am taking back as lovely memories which will stay with me forever going forward. And that’s all.”
Focus on the Victory
Despite the controversy, Suryakumar Yadav chose to highlight India’s achievement and the team spirit. He stressed that the recognition of victory mattered more than physically holding the cup. “The win is important. If you saw that after the match ended, India was written on the big screen. Asia Cup 2025 Champions. Now what’s better than this?”
“All the boards have champions written on them. 2025 Asia Cup. And you play for that only. And I am sure everyone agrees,” he said. Appreciating the effort of his team and support staff, he concluded, “I think it was a great moment. Great journey. Great campaign for us as a team. And I am sure the support staff will also agree. And we had a lot of fun.”
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