Shoaib Malik on Asia Cup 2025 Trophy Controversy – Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has openly sided with Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC), after the dramatic post-match presentation fiasco in Dubai.
Following India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, sparking a major controversy. The post-match ceremony was delayed for nearly 45 minutes as India stood firm on their stance. Eventually, Naqvi walked out of the Dubai International Stadium with the trophy in hand, leaving players and fans stunned.
While Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, and Tilak Varma collected their individual awards, presenter Simon Doull confirmed that the Indian team had declined to take their winners’ medals and prize cheques.
Reacting to the incident on the Game On Hai show, Malik criticized India’s decision, saying they should have accepted the trophy regardless of personal disagreements.
“Players go through immense pressure and tough conditions to win tournaments like the Asia Cup. They worked so hard to achieve this success, and then not accepting the trophy? That’s a huge moment wasted,” Malik said.
The veteran all-rounder further warned that the Indian team might regret this act in the future:
“Today they may celebrate this decision, but in the long run, it will haunt them. Athletes should focus on playing, winning, and celebrating their achievements. Politics should not overshadow sport.”
Tilak Varma’s Match-Winning Knock
The final saw Tilak Varma rise to the occasion with a superb unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, rescuing India from a shaky 20/3 start. Supported by Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, Tilak ensured India kept control of the chase.
In the final moments, Rinku Singh sealed the win with a boundary off his very first ball, guiding India to their ninth Asia Cup title with two balls to spare.
Also Read: Abhishek Sharma: From Young Talent to India’s Fearless T20 Hitman
The controversy, however, overshadowed the celebrations. Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, remained stoic during the presentation and even refrained from handing out runners-up medals to his own players. He only posed briefly with captain Salman Ali Agha, who accepted the runners-up cheque of USD 75,000 (approx. INR 66.75 lakh).
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