DUBAI: The final of the Asia Cup 2025 concluded with a rare off-pitch controversy after news broke that the Indian cricket team declined to receive the tournament trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), ARY News reported.
The denial came on the orders of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), sources said. Indian officials had put up a strong fight with Mohsin Naqvi persisting in his word that he would himself hand over the trophy, dismissing calls for other arrangements.
At the same time, sources asserted that the Asia Cup trophy has now been sent to the office of the Asian Cricket Council.
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Tilak Varma kept his cool with a match-winning half-century as India edged Pakistan by five wickets to win the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 title at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Set 147 to chase, the world champions held their nerves after a dramatic collapse in the middle to win in 19.4 overs, thanks to an unbeaten 69 by Varma off 53 balls, which was peppered with four sixes and three fours.
India declines trophy from Mohsin Naqvi: sources
Pakistan’s new-ball pair of Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Shah Afridi shook India’s top order in a span of four overs.
Faheem got the first blood by sending the tournament’s top run-getter Abhishek Sharma for 5, followed by Shaheen dismissing Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav (1) with a well-timed catch by Salman Ali Agha. Faheem got his second scalp to leave India at 20 for 3 with Shubman Gill dismissed for 12.
As India struggled, Varma partnered Sanju Samson for a stabilizing 57-run partnership. Samson’s aggressive 24 came to an end when Abrar Ahmed picked him up in the 13th over.
Shivam Dube thereafter partnered Varma, and their 60-run partnership virtually sealed the chase. Dube’s 33 of 22 balls gave much-needed momentum before getting out in the penultimate over.
Varma made his fifty off 40 balls and saw India cross the line even as he lost partners all around him.
Earlier, Pakistan wasted a commanding beginning after being asked to bat. Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35) propelled them to 84 without loss by the halfway stage.
But after Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Farhan, Kuldeep Yadav stepped in to wrap up the show with 4 for 30 as Pakistan lost to 146 all out in 19.1 overs.
India’s bowlers shared the spoils with Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah taking two each, while Chakravarthy ended with 2 for 29.
The decider saw the first-ever Asia Cup title clash between the arch-rivals. Pakistan had reached there by defeating Bangladesh in a de facto semi-final, whereas India had gone unbeaten in the tournament.
It was a record-breaking ninth Asia Cup title for India, highlighting their regional cricket dominance. Pakistan were left to regret their middle-order meltdown at the most critical moment, despite flashes of brilliance by Farhan, Fakhar, and Faheem.
