India’s victory in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan should have been remembered for Tilak Varma’s unbeaten heroics and a tense chase under lights. Instead, the night will be etched in cricketing history for what did not happen: the champions never held the trophy aloft.
In a stunning turn of events, the Indian team declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, triggering an unprecedented stand-off at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Ceremony in chaos
According to eyewitnesses, the presentation ceremony was delayed after India refused to step forward while Naqvi stood firm on his position as presenter. With neither side willing to blink, officials quietly removed the trophy from the ground before the other prize distributions began.
Pakistan’s players collected their runners-up medals from Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam, while individual awards were handed out to Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav, and Abhishek Sharma by sponsors. India, however, did not take their winners’ medals or the silverware.
Suryakumar: “Never seen anything like this”
Captain Suryakumar Yadav, visibly disappointed, addressed the matter in the post-match press conference.
“This is one thing I have never seen since I started playing or following cricket — a champion team being denied a trophy. That too a hard-earned one. We were here since the 4th, played two tough games, and I feel we deserved it. I can’t say anything more; I think I’ve summed it up well,” he said.
Yadav went on to call his teammates and support staff the “real trophies” of the campaign:
“If you ask me about trophies, my trophies are sitting in the dressing room. All the 14 guys and the support staff — those are the real trophies and real moments I’ll take back as memories forever.”
Match recap: Varma guides India home
Earlier, Pakistan had been bowled out for 146 despite a blazing 57 from opener Sahibzada Farhan. Their collapse from 113/1 to 146 all out proved decisive. India’s chase was wobbly at 20/3 before Tilak Varma steadied the innings with a composed 69* off 53 balls, steering the side to victory with just two balls to spare.
BCCI announces reward
Adding a touch of positivity to the turbulent night, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a ₹21 crore reward for the players and support staff soon after the win.
A final remembered for controversy
India may have lifted the Asia Cup 2025 on the scoreboard, but the absence of a trophy lift — an image that usually defines a tournament — has left fans stunned. Whether this incident deepens the rift between the BCCI and the ACC remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the Dubai final will be remembered as much for the drama off the pitch as the cricket on it.
