India refuse to collect Asia Cup trophy, medals after all hell breaks loose during controversial presentation ceremony

Asia Cup winners India refused to accept the trophy from ACC head Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be chairman of the Pakistan's cricket board.

The Indian team stayed true to their word, boycotting PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday and refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy, even as he attended the ceremony by virtue of being the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief. After a delay of almost an hour—caused by the Pakistan team, who refused to step out of the dressing room following their loss—the presentation ceremony finally began, amid loud boos from the Indian spectators as Naqvi stepped on stage. But it ended abruptly after broadcaster Simon Doull read out an ACC announcement stating that the Indian team would not be receiving the award during the ceremony.

India's Tilak Varma holds up his man of the match trophy during the presentation ceremony at the end of the Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 international cricket final match between India and Pakistan(AFP)

On September 14, after the group-stage match between India and Pakistan in Dubai was marred by the no-handshake storm—with the PCB chief lashing out at Suryakumar Yadav’s men and seeking the ICC’s intervention—a PTI report revealed that the defending champions had decided they would not share the presentation stage with Naqvi if they retained the Asia Cup crown on September 28.

On Sunday, after India beat Pakistan in front of a packed Dubai stadium by chasing down 147 runs in a last-over thriller, both India and Naqvi were initially kept waiting by the Pakistan team, which did not leave the dressing room. The PCB chief, visibly agitated by the delay, was even spotted animatedly talking on the phone while standing beside the stage.

Doull then invited the entire Pakistan squad to collect their runners-up medals, followed by a quick chat with Salman. India opener Abhishek Sharma collected his Player of the Tournament award for his stunning Asia Cup 2025 campaign.

But just as fans and viewers waited for the Indian team to be called up, Doull abruptly ended the ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen, 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," he announced.

According to PTI, the Indian team management had earlier asked who would present the winners’ trophy, leaving the ACC scrambling as they realised their own chief was unacceptable to the champions. When Naqvi finally took the dais, he was told the Indian players would not accept the trophy if he attempted to present it and that an official protest would follow. As Naqvi stood waiting, the chaos deepened—an organiser quietly carried the trophy away and into the Indian dressing room.