‘They Gave A Message’: Pahalgam Attack Victim’s Father On India’s No Trophy Gesture In Asia Cup

Last Updated:September 29, 2025, 14:17 IST

Rajesh Narwal praised Team India for refusing the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi after defeating Pakistan. Suryakumar Yadav pledged his match fee to the Indian Army.

Pahalgam victim Lt. Vinay Narwal’s father Rajesh Narwal | File Image

Rajesh Narwal, father of Pahalgam terror attack victim Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, on Monday lauded Team India for refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Suryakumar Yadav-led India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in the final at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, a match played against the backdrop of heightened tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists.

The Indian team, which had refrained from exchanging handshakes with Pakistani players throughout the tournament, also refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council president and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.

“Our cricketers have given a message to Pakistan. It’s not against the game. Pakistan is a terror state, and I say that because all terrorists are from Pakistan, but not all Pakistani citizens are terrorists,” he said.

Narwal said he is not against cricket or matches between India and Pakistan and holds no ill will toward the players. “We personally like players. We don’t hate the game and the players. It was a retaliation, and that was clearly shown. Indian players won. They played well. They gave a message,” he added.

Meanwhile, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has pledged to donate his entire match fee from the Asia Cup 2025 to the Indian Army after leading India to its ninth continental title in Dubai, beating Pakistan by 5 wickets on Sunday.

“I personally want to give all my match fee from this tournament to the Indian Army,” Suryakumar Yadav said during the post-match presentation.

Speaking on the post-match trophy controversy – where India declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi – Yadav remarked, “I think this is one thing that I have never seen since I started playing cricket, since I started following cricket, that a champion team is denied to get a trophy. I mean that, too, a hard-earned one…I feel we deserved it, and I can’t say anything more.”

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