‘Propagandist’: India’s Asia Cup Trophy Refusal A Major Snub To PCB Chief In Dramatic Final Act

Last Updated:September 29, 2025, 07:49 IST

India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final but refused to accept the trophy and medals from Mohsin Naqvi. The BJP and BCCI backed the move, calling Naqvi a “propagandist”.

Indian fans during the Asia Cup 2025 final match between India and Pakistan, in Dubai, UAE (Photo: PTI)

In a dramatic end to the Asia Cup 2025 final, Team India refused to accept the winners’ trophy after their emphatic victory over Pakistan, snubbing Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

The unprecedented stand-off left the presentation ceremony in chaos, with Indian players celebrating their triumph without the silverware.

Team India’s move was strongly backed by the BJP, which slammed Naqvi as “a chief propagandist” for Pakistan, and called the team’s spirit “New India”.

This came after BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the team’s refusal, stressing India could not accept honours from someone representing a hostile state.

India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final here on Sunday.

THE BCCI’s STAND

Referring to Mohsin Naqvi, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stressed that Team India “cannot accept a trophy from a person” who represents a country that is “waging a war against our country” and said they are going to lodge a very “strong protest against the behaviour of the “gentleman” during the prize distribution ceremony.

He also condemned his act of taking away the trophy and medals with him and said that during the ICC Conference in November, a “serious and strong” protest would be launched against Naqvi.

“We have decided not to take the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan. So we decided not to take it from him. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy with him, along with the medals. So it is very unfortunate and unsportsmanlike, and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible,” he said.

“There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson,” Saikia added.

Adding to Team India’s win, Saikia said, “BCCI is extremely happy and we congratulate the Indian cricket team for defeating Pakistan hands down at the group stage at the Super Four as well as in the final.”

“All three matches were one-sided, and we congratulate our players as well as the support staff for bringing a lot of glory to our country. We are very proud of our team, and they have excellently delivered on the cricket pitch,” he said.

“Our armed forces have delivered it in the border area. Now the same thing has been repeated in Dubai. So this is an excellent moment, a momentous occasion for Indian cricket.”

“We have decided that there will be a cash reward to the Indian team, which will be Rs 21 crore. It will be distributed amongst the players and all the support staff,” the BCCI secretary told reporters.

WHAT THE BJP SAID

In an X post, BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya said Team India refused the acceptance because it came from Naqvi, slamming him as a “propagandist”.

“India refused to accept the Asia Cup and medals because Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Interior Minister of Pakistan, insisted on presenting them,” Naqvi wrote.

“We not only slammed Pakistan on the field but also put Naqvi in his place, a chief propagandist for the terror state that Pakistan is,” he added.

“This is New India,” Malviya’s post read. 

INDIA’s REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THE TROPHY FROM NAQVI

The Asia Cup trophy was not awarded to champions India at the presentation after they refused to accept the silverware from Mohsin Naqvi in Dubai.

The presentation ceremony had begun after a long delay, but only individual performers were feted.

Despite India’s refusal to accept the trophy from him, Naqvi stood firm on the stage and eventually the trophy was not awarded to the winning team probably the first time on a cricket field.

Despite the delay, a sizeable number of Indian fans stayed back for the presentation and they did not shy away from booing Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha when he walked towards the stage.

India were fine with taking the trophy from Emirates Cricket Board’s vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, who shared the stage with Naqvi, but the latter did not allow that to happen.

As Naqvi stood on one side for the presentation ceremony to begin, Indian players were standing within 15 yards, refusing to budge from their places and the formalities were being inordinately delayed.

According to news agency PTI, the Indian team management asked who was supposed to present the winners’ trophy, and ACC went into a huddle knowing that their boss wasn’t an acceptable name for the champions.

Once Naqvi took to the presentation stage, Indian fans in the stands started booing collectively with the chants of ‘Bharat Maata Ki Jai‘.

As Naqvi took the dais, he was informed that the Indian team won’t accept the trophy if he tries to force himself and an official protest would be lodged. As Naqvi waited, suddenly, someone from organisers took the trophy inside the dressing room.

As the drama unfolded, the presenter informed that India will not be collecting their medals or trophy during 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,” the presenter was heard on the live TV broadcasting.

However, skipper Suryakumar Yadav and the entire Team India celebrate their triumph without any trophies and medals.

Posing for the cameras, Suryakumar replicated ex-T20I skipper Rohit Sharma’s slow-walk T20 World Cup 2024 winning celebration with the rest of the team, with fireworks going off in the background.

PAKISTANI PLAYERS STAYED INSIDE THE DRESSING ROOM

In another dramatic development, the Pakistani players didn’t emerge out of the dressing room even after an hour since the match had ended.

Only their chairman stood on the field, stranded and embarrassed, wanting to do the honours as per the continental body’s protocol.

After nearly 55 minutes, Agha and his teammates emerged from the dressing room and were greeted with shouts of “Indiaaaa, Indiaaaaa“.

INDIA’s SNUB TO PAKISTAN

Having not shaken hands with Pakistani players throughout the three Asia Cup games and also avoided the customary pre-toss photoshoot, the Indian team had sent the message to ACC that it won’t accept the trophy from the governing body’s chairman.

It was a foregone conclusion that India won’t accept the trophy from Naqvi, who has earlier many statements critical of India.

He had also posted cryptic videos of Cristiano Ronaldo’s plane crash gesture celebrations, which is a direct reference to the Pakistani claims that six Indian jets were downed during ‘Operation Sindoor‘.

Naqvi is also behind demanding that ICC charge Suryakumar with a Level 4 offence for standing by the Indian Army and showing solidarity with victims of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Last month, Naqvi had echoed Pakistan army chief Asim Munir’s comments that India is like a shining Mercedes, but we are like a dumper truck, loaded with stones; imagine what happens when the two collide.

INDIA’s SNUB TO PAKISTAN IN THE MATCH

India won the toss and elected to field first. An 84-run stand between Sahidzada Farhan (57 in 38 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman (46 in 35 balls, with two fours and two sixes) gave Pakistan the head start they needed.

However, Pakistan faced a collapse from 113/1 in 12.4 overs to 146 all out in 19.1 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) also getting the final two wickets.

During the run-chase, India sank to 20/3 due to an initial burst from Faheem Ashraf (3/29). However, Tilak Varma (69* in 53 balls, with three fours and four sixes), stitched a 57-run stand with Sanju Samson (24 in 21 balls, with two fours and a six) to bring India back into the game.

Shivam Dube (33 in 22 balls, with two fours and two sixes) delivered some carnage with Tilak, solidifying India’s hold on the game despite some occasional brilliance from Pakistan.

In the end, it was Rinku Singh, who was featuring in his first Asia Cup match, who got the chance to hit the winning runs on the first ball.

ALSO READ | Watch: Indian Players Brutally Troll Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed After Asia Cup Win

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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