On September 28, India continued their dominance on the Asia Cup, winning their ninth title after a thrilling five-wicket victory against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It was a tense chase, but after 48 overs, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s men reached their target, with Yadav himself scoring the winning runs in the final over. Yet, the post-match euphoria was overshadowed by a historic first for any Indian team. Celebrations were muted after they refused to accept their trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the head of the Asian Cricket Council, resulting in a strange celebration on an empty podium.
Considering the sensitive nature of his position as both the ACC president and the Pakistan cricket board chairman and the country’s minister of interior — tensions understandably arose. Naqvi’s recent posts and re-shares on X of Pakistani cricketers on fighter jets, saying “Final Day” and a clip of Ronaldo pretending to crash a plane, signal predilection to stoke geopolitical tensions, especially with the unverified narrative of the recent Indian jets being shot down, were concerning. Naqvi’s posts were read as incitement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which ultimately led to the Indian players deciding to boycott the post-match presentation ceremony. Naqvi was able to walk away with the silverware and winner’s medals, while his players had to settle for an “invisible trophy, in reference to moments of past glories like the T20 World Cup 2024. This was punctuated by Rohit’s World Cup 2024 pose.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed the snub post-match and was calm about the team’s spirit. “I have never seen a champion team not getting a trophy. We deserved it. But the real trophies are my 14 teammates and the memories we created. That will stay forever,” he told reporters. The squad huddled discreetly and briefly near the podium without dignitaries, even while capturing a defiant joy. Khalid Al Zarooni, vice-chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, was reportedly scheduled as an alternative presenter, but the lack of order during the presentation of awards cascading overdue festivities and sensationalizing the event worldwide.
Rounding up the foregone players is Shoaib Malik. He did not hold back. He was on the “Game On Hai” and called the Indian position “short-sighted” and something they would “regret” later. “Look at the amount of pressure the players were under to win the Asia Cup. To win the trophy! And after they’ve worked so hard, you don’t even come to take the trophy,” That is such a big achievement. That was such a close match and to make matters even better, it was a priceless moment. At the moment, they might celebrating but it’s hard to imagine that after a few years, it might still make them regret not coming forward to take the prize. There was a simple trophy that would haunt them. These players worked endlessly, and that trophy is a testament of that. It’s important to play and take the prize.
The signifizance of the Dubai heat was to showcase the trojan effort the players were under. Malik clearly feels the emotional weight of the cup and the continental championship. The crosses, at least the open one towards the Asia cup were overly empty.
Having endured his share of bilateral tensions, Malik argues that the boycott goes against the spirit of the game which is to transcend borders for glory. “We are sportsmen,” he said, suggesting that politics has no place on the pitch.
Such incidents are hardly unforeseen in the context of bilateral tensions within the administration of cricket between India and Pakistan. Having already spoken up against Naqvi’s dismissal from the ACC leadership, the BCCI and other Indian cricket officials are likely to call for even more aggressive reforms which they feel are necessary given Naqvi’s political baggage. Bangladesh’s cricket board president Bulbul, who is a Naqvi ally, also confirmed the sudden halt in moved and fractured ACC rhetoric, revealing much of the region’s cricket relations. For Pakistan, which has been nursing the loss of yet another final of their first Asia Cup title since 2012, the absence of the trophy symbolically fills a void for India.
Nevertheless, the thrill of the win continues for fans. Social media was filled with memes about the “ghost trophy,” mixing humor with patriotic sentiments. India’s unbeaten run, this time with the team led by Yadav and a well balanced bowling attack, seems to avoid concerns about the T20 format heading into the global tournaments. Still, Malik’s ghost lingers: is this a “what if” moment that will haunt the dressing room for years to come? In the unpredictable world of cricket, and sports in general, there is little pay-off for ignoring the silverware, even if it tarnished. As India celebrates, the shadow of a cup will always remind the team of its unspeakable truths: the full measure of a glory is only complete if it is held aloft, no matter whose hand it is.
