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As India refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, he accused India of “dragging war into sport” after PM Modi likened the final win to ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Mohsin Naqvi, center, stands with officials on the field after India won the Asia Cup cricket final against Pakistan (Photo: AP)
ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who humiliated himself when he walked off with the Asia Cup trophy after India refused to accept it from his hands, has now claimed that India disgraced the spirit of the game by “dragging war into it”.
Though Naqvi’s X handle is withdrawn in India, he reposted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory post after the game, and wrote, “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands.”
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“No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game,” Naqvi wrote.
In an X post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday likened the India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup to ‘Operation Sindoor‘, and said the outcome remained the same and India won.
“Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” PM Modi’s post read.
India had named its military operation ‘Operation Sindoor‘ following the Pahalgam terror attack, as it targeted terrorists based in Pakistan and then engaged in a conflict with the Pakistani military.
INDIA REFUSED TROPHY FROM MOHSIN NAQVI
Asia Cup champions India on Sunday refused to accept the winners’ trophy from Naqvi, who also happens to be Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the country’s cricket board, as he 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.
It was learnt that 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 the presentation stage, Indian fans in the stands started booing collectively with chants of ‘Bharat Maata Ki Jai‘.
As Naqvi took the dais, he was informed that the Indian team wouldn’t accept the trophy if he tried to force himself, and an official protest would be lodged. Later, someone from the organisers took the trophy inside the dressing room.
Having not shaken hands with Pakistani players throughout the three Asia Cup games and also avoiding the customary pre-toss photoshoot, the Indian team had sent the message to ACC that it wouldn’t accept the trophy from the ACC chairman.
It was a foregone conclusion that India wouldn’t accept the trophy from Naqvi, who had 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 Surya with a Level 4 offence for standing by the Indian Army and showing solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
ALSO READ | Suryakumar Yadav Blasts Mohsin Naqvi For Running Away With Asia Cup Trophy: ‘Have Never Seen…’
About the Author
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.
September 29, 2025, 13:23 IST
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