Team India's trio of Harshit Rana, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh were hilariously seen shadow posing with the 'trophy' after clinching the Asia Cup 2025 title with a win over Pakistan in the final. A video of the same surfaced on social media after the presentation ceremony as the star cricketers refused to collect the trophy from ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The presentation ceremony was delayed by at least an hour as Team India had communicated to the organizers about not wanting to take the trophy from Naqvi. Naqvi did come to the podium and waited for at least 20 minutes before walking away as the Men in Blue did not show up. But Team India later celebrated with gusto after Simon Doull announced that they would be collecting the trophy a day later.
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"India is in conflict with that country" - Devajit Saikia
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia later shockingly revealed that Naqvi had walked away with the trophy and medals, slamming it as an 'unsportsman like' behaviour. Saikia said India is at odds with Pakistan on a political level; hence, they cannot accept a trophy from them. He said, as quoted by India Today:
"We have decided not to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the senior leaders of Pakistan. That was a conscious decision. This does not give him the right to take the trophy and the medals with him. It is extremely unfortunate and unsportsmanlike. We hope the trophy and medals will be returned to India as soon as possible. India is in conflict with that country, and we were expected to receive the trophy from a leader representing them. We cannot accept a trophy from someone who represents a nation currently at odds with ours."
As for the match, Team India chased down 147 with five wickets to spare as Tilak Varma struck an unbeaten 69.
