‘When Sports Meet Symbolism’: Abhishek Manu Singhvi Hails Asia Cup Win Amid Congress Confusion

Last Updated:September 30, 2025, 14:58 IST

Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s symbolic post was echoed by several senior leaders across the Congress party, though the congratulations came only in individual voices

Team India celebrates after winning the Asia Cup final. (PTI Photo)

After India sealed the Asia Cup by beating Pakistan, senior lawyer and Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi took to X to reflect on the moment. “When sports meet symbolism! Our champions didn’t just lift the Asia Cup, they lifted the nation’s pride. And when the ACC chief tried running away with the trophy, Indian players responded with emojis, not egos. Grace wins matches, class wins hearts,” he wrote, tying India’s sporting dominance to the dramatic scenes that unfolded at the presentation ceremony.

While Singhvi and several other leaders celebrated the win, the Congress party itself has not issued an official congratulatory statement.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hailed the “young team” that “created history,” pointing to Tilak Varma’s composed 69 not out and Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul.

Sachin Pilot called it an “incredible performance,” while Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda described Varma’s knock as “one of the best ever under pressure” before sharing a celebratory photograph captioned: “Champions.”

The enthusiastic praise marks a sharp contrast with the party’s earlier posture on the tournament. After the April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Congress workers in Jaipur staged protests in September against India playing Pakistan in the Asia Cup. They burned effigies symbolising Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and vandalised LED TVs they had carried to the protest site, arguing that the match disrespected victims’ sentiments. In Delhi, too, opposition voices held vigils and urged a boycott of the fixture, citing the fragile political climate in the months after the attack.

But if the run-up to the final was shadowed by calls for a boycott, the result itself shifted the spotlight back to the cricket, and then to the politics around it.

On the field, India brushed past Pakistan by five wickets to seal the trophy, with Varma anchoring the chase and Kuldeep dismantling Pakistan’s batting order. But the celebrations quickly turned political.

At the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the Indian team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board chief, and Pakistan’s interior minister. In a coordinated move, captain Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates lifted an “imaginary trophy” instead, with Yadav mimicking Rohit Sharma’s famous pose.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later confirmed to CNN-News18 that the boycott was deliberate, saying the team would not accept silverware from a Pakistani representative at a time when India accused Islamabad of fuelling terrorism. Naqvi stormed out with the trophy and medals, sparking a diplomatic row, and later accused India of “dragging war into sport.” The BCCI, however, stood by the players, calling the decision a “conscious and unanimous” one that reflected India’s unwillingness to normalise Pakistan’s propaganda through sporting optics.

For Singhvi, who framed the incident as “emojis, not egos,” the symbolism of India’s restraint off the field appeared as important as the victory itself.

About the Author

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More

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