IND vs PAK Asia Cup final: Farcical end to fractious Asia Cup

On a nighttime erstwhile India and Pakistan yet engaged successful a adjacent cricketing contention befitting an Asia Cup final, the spotlight was snatched distant from the on-field proceedings due to the fact that of the farce that unfolded agelong aft Rinku Singh deed the winning runs with 2 balls remaining.

In a tourney replete with unedifying drama, sparked by India’s refusal to shingle hands with Pakistan’s players aft their archetypal gathering connected September 14 successful enactment with the government’s advice, the nadir was reached connected Sunday (September 28, 2025) nighttime arsenic the Indian squad was denied the trophy aft winning the Asia Cup for a record-extending ninth time.

Once India said it volition not judge the glittering prize from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who is besides main of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the country’s interior minister, the 46-year-old person and head decided to contradict Suryakumar Yadav and Co. the joyousness of lifting the rubric altogether. While the crippled ended astatine 10.30 p.m. section time, the presumption didn’t commencement until astir 75 minutes later. When the presumption yet did commence, Pakistan’s cricketers and enactment unit accepted the runner-up medals portion idiosyncratic subordinate awards were handed out. But close aft Abhishek Sharma was adjudged the Player-of-the-Tournament, the post-match ceremonial came to an abrupt extremity arsenic the ACC officials walked disconnected the stage. The existent trophy had near the outfield agelong before. Suryakumar and his teammates celebrated by appearing to assistance an imaginary trophy portion posing for photos.  

“This is 1 happening I person ne'er seen since I started playing and pursuing cricket that a champion squad is denied a trophy,” Suryakumar said successful the wee hours of Monday (September 29, 2025) morning. “It was a hard-earned trophy. We deserved it. I can’t accidental thing more. If you archer maine astir the trophies, my trophies are sitting successful my dressing country — each the 14 players with maine and each the enactment staff. I americium taking backmost beauteous memories and moments with these guys. That’s all.”

When Pakistan skipper Salman Agha was asked for his instrumentality connected the farcical end, helium pointed the blasted towards India and said that each the play had been triggered by the opponent’s no-handshake stance. “What India has done successful this tourney is precise disappointing,” Agha said astatine the property league aft the final. “They’re not disrespecting america by not shaking hands, they’re disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t bash what they did contiguous (refusing to judge the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi). We went to airs with the trophy connected our ain due to the fact that we wanted to fulfil our obligations. We stood determination and took our medals. I don’t privation to usage harsh words but they’ve been precise disrespectful.”

Agha went connected to suggest that if it was up to Suryakumar and the Indian players, handshakes would person taken spot arsenic is customary with the conventions of the game. “Suryakumar shook hands with maine successful backstage astatine the commencement of the tournament,” Agha said. “Both astatine the pre-tournament property league and erstwhile we met successful the referee’s meeting. But erstwhile they’re retired successful the satellite successful beforehand of the cameras, they don’t shingle our hands. I’m definite he’s pursuing the instructions he’s been given, but if it was up to him, he’d shingle hands with me.”

While Agha lamented India’s behaviour, it indispensable beryllium said that Pakistan’s ain behaviour by delaying a crippled against the United Arab Emirates implicit a pullout menace was not supra board.

That determination person been governmental undertones to everything that has transpired betwixt India and Pakistan successful this tourney was evident astatine the end. While Suryakumar donated his full lucifer fees from the lawsuit to the Indian equipped forces, Agha concluded his presser by saying that the lucifer fees of each the Pakistan players volition beryllium fixed to the civilians who died successful airstrikes conducted by India connected the backmost of the Pahalgam panic attack.