IND vs PAK Controversy Highlights, Asia Cup 2025 Winners: Suryakumar Yadav on PM Modi’s support, ‘it felt like he took the strike and…’

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi came under intense criticism following Pakistan’s third consecutive loss to India in the Asia Cup final. Social media erupted with calls for his immediate removal, as players reportedly refused to accept the winner’s trophy from him.

“This ‘selected’ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, if he has any guts, should take notice against Mohsin Naqvi, who has destroyed Pakistan cricket in such a short time,” said PTI leader Moonis Elahi on X. Former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair added, “Pakistan’s best batsman Babar Azam was dropped by this man. He also dropped Pakistan’s best wicketkeeper batsman Rizwan… He destroyed our batting.”

Jailed former PM Imran Khan compared Naqvi’s actions in cricket to Army Chief Gen Asim Munir’s governance. Activist Sana criticized him for sidelining Amir Jamal over a political gesture. Journalist Umar Draz Gondal said, “The only answer is to defeat India in the stadium and shut their mouths,” while alleging Naqvi’s appointment was politically motivated, leaving Pakistani cricket in decline.

Following India’s Asia Cup 2025 title win over Pakistan, match-winners Tilak Varma and all-rounder Shivam Dube spoke on how they let their bat do the talking. Tilak’s unbeaten 69* and Dube’s 33-run cameo helped India recover from 20/3 to successfully chase 147 after spinners Kuldeep Yadav (4/30), Varun Chakravarthy (2/30), and Axar Patel triggered a Pakistan collapse from 113/1 to 146 all out.

Tilak said, “When I went in to bat, I was under a lot of pressure… I was looking to play in the gaps. It was in my mind the longer I stay, the better because opposition is always under pressure when we bat, then he (Dube and Sanju) made my work easier.”

Dube added, “I know when I play, I will get a very few balls, and I have to do something big… My bat did its work, and they (Pakistan) did not get a chance to speak.”

India won their second T20I Asia Cup title, with Tilak named Player of the Match.

Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav admitted being “tensed” throughout the Asia Cup, calling it “one of the toughest tournaments” he has played in a long time. India defeated Pakistan in the final by five wickets, securing their ninth Asia Cup title. Surya praised the team’s resilience, especially Tilak Varma’s 69* and Shivam Dube’s 33, which turned the game after India slipped to 20/3.

Mental Pressure and Political Tensions

The tournament followed the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, with controversies arising from refusal of handshakes with Pakistan players. “I would not lie, I was extremely tense. If I were wearing a heart-rate monitor, then it would have marked 150-plus [beats a minute],” said Yadav.

BCCI Support and Player Facilities

Yadav lauded the BCCI for their backing, saying, “BCCI has actually stood ahead of us and supported us. It is our duty to repay them by playing good cricket and winning matches.” India’s bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, restricted Pakistan to 146, while Rinku Singh hit the winning runs.

India clinched their ninth Asia Cup title with a thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday. Men in Blue T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his encouragement, saying, “It feels good when the country’s leader himself bats on the front foot; it felt like he took the strike and scored runs.” He added, “The most important thing is that the whole country is celebrating. When we go back, it will feel good, and we will get more inspiration and motivation to do well.”

Despite winning, India refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, also PCB chief, citing his political role and anti-India remarks. “I feel we deserved it. I’ve never seen a champion team denied a trophy,” Yadav said. During the ceremony, Indian players celebrated with imaginary trophies while Naqvi and Pakistani players faced boos from the crowd.

Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy took a playful dig at Pakistan after India clinched their ninth Asia Cup title on Sunday. Sharing a photo on Instagram with an empty cup of tea, he captioned it, “Akkha duniya ek taraf, aur mera INDIA ek taraf,” subtly mocking Pakistan’s celebratory gesture.

The reference alludes to Pakistani social media users who had earlier commented “Tea is fantastic,” linked to the Abhinandan incident

India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav praised his side after they defeated Pakistan three times in a single tournament to lift the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai. With a five-wicket win in the final, the Men in Blue clinched their ninth Asia Cup title and created history with a 3-0 record over their arch-rivals.

‘Incredible show from the boys’

Speaking to Boria Majumdar on Revsportz, Suryakumar said, “Yeah, winning 3-0 was excellent. Incredible show from the boys. They delivered what I expected from them. All the talks that we have had with them… have all worked, and I’m very happy. Never played them three times in a single tournament. It was destined to happen.”

India’s spinners stole the show in the final, with Kuldeep Yadav (4/30), Varun Chakravarthy (2/30) and Axar Patel (2/26) dismantling Pakistan’s batting line-up, reducing them from 113/1 to 146 all out. Suryakumar credited the bowlers, saying, “I personally believe that batsmen score runs and win matches, but bowlers win tournaments.”

Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 and key contributions from Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube ensured India’s chase was completed smoothly, with debutant Rinku Singh striking the winning runs.

On PM Modi’s congratulatory post after India’s triumph over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, “Comparing Asia Cup’s victory with Operation Sindoor is wrong; defeating terrorism is more important than triumph in cricket.”

On Team India refusing to accept Asia Cup trophy from Pakistan Minister Mohsin Naqvi, BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato says, “…I salute such cricketers and pay my respects to them”

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ X post on the Asia Cup victory, TMC MLA Sujay Hazra says, “These people say one thing in front of the world but do something entirely different behind the scenes. They project an image that they are taking firm steps against terrorism at the government level, but in reality, Pakistan remains the very hub where terrorism is sheltered and nurtured. In fact, much of the world’s terrorism originates and operates out of Pakistan…”

Amitabh Bachchan’s “speech shut” post on Team India’s win in the Asia Cup is something one should not miss. He not only praised Abhishek Sharma but the entire team for making the enemy “stumble”.

“We won! Well played, ‘Abhishek Bachchan’. Over there, the tongue stumbled, and here, without batting, bowling, and fielding, you made the enemy stumble! Speech shut!” the X post read.

Sanjay Raut has called out India’s refusal of the Asia Cup 2025 trophy a “pure theatre” for the cameras. He even shared a video of Team India shaking hands with ACC Chief Mohsin Naqvi – the very same person they refused to collect the trophy from – just days before the Asia Cup tournament.

“If patriotism were truly in your blood, you wouldn’t have even stepped on the field with Pakistan. Top to bottom — pure theatre,” read a part of his post on social media.

A video of Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana mimicking victory poses has been going viral on social media. The video also shows them posing with an “imaginary” trophy.

Abhishek Sharma’s father, Raj Kumar Sharma, has reacted after his son won the Player of the Tournament award in Asia Cup 2025.

“We are all very proud and happy that Abhishek Sharma was awarded Man of the Tournament in the Asia Cup. It is a very big thing…,” he told ANI.

Abhishek was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his exceptional batting performance in the competition. He scored 314 runs in the seven innings at an average of 44.86 and a strike rate of 200 with the help of three half-centuries.

Jasprit Bumrah gave it back to Haris Rauf with a ‘plane crash’ gesture during the Asia Cup Final. One social media user shared a picture on X (formerly Twitter) and Union Minister Rijiju has reacted to it.

“Pakistan deserves this punishment,” he wrote in the comments section.

Sports Minister Mansukh Madaviya took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a one-line post after Team India won the Asia Cup 2025 by defeating Pakistan.

With a veiled reference to Operation Sindoor, he wrote, “Lost on border too, lost in field too.”

Amit Malviya reacted to Pakistan’s Asia Cup Final, saying that it is “new India”.

“We not only slammed Pakistan on the field but also put Naqvi in his place, a chief propagandist for the terror state that Pakistan is,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), before adding, “This is new India”.

A source-based report by The Indian Express points to Naqvi’s social media reposts as a trigger for India’s Asia Cup trophy snub.

One of his reposts on X (formerly Twitter) shows a collage of players doing the “gun act” on the field, including former India skippers MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. 

The caption reads: “Did Sahibzada Farhan really do anything different from what all these gentlemen have done before?”

Read more here.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said that Pakistan will donate the prize money to those killed in India’s retaliatory action, Operation Sindoor.

“We will donate the Prize money to civilians killed in India’s attack,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said.

This comes after India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav decided to donate his match fee to the Indian Armed Forces and families of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.

Suryakumar Yadav, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said, “I have decided to donate my match fees from this tournament to support our Armed Forces and the families of the victims who suffered from the Pahalgam terror attack. You always remain in my thoughts.”

ACC Chief Mohsin Naqvi has responded to PM Modi’s “Operation Sindoor on field” social media post, saying that “Dragging war into sport exposes desperation”.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Naqvi said, “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeat at Pakistan’s hands. No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.”

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said that India not only “disrespected” them but also the “sport of cricket” by not shaking hands and walking away without collecting the trophy.

“What India did with us — not shaking hands, not taking the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi — they are not only disrespecting us, they are also disrespecting the sport of cricket. Looking at this, what if other teams also start doing this? Where will we draw the line, where will this stop? Cricketers are supposed to be role models. What will kids learn watching this kind of behaviour on the field? Whatever happened in this tournament was very bad,” Salman Agha told the media after the Asia Cup final.

BCCI Secretary said that the message has been delivered after India walked away unbeaten in Asia Cup 2025 and “lifted the trophy” after defeating Pakistan.

“Three blows. 0 response. Asia Cup Champions. Message delivered. (Rs) 21 crores prize money for the team and support staff,” BCCI wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced prize money for Team India and support staff who have won the Asia Cup this year after defeating Pakistan in the Summit clash.

“It was (an) extraordinary victory and therefore as a part of celebrations, BCCI has announced a cash award of Rs 21 crore in favour of the players and the support staff who are part of the Indian team in the Asia Cup,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI.

“This is something I have never seen in all my years of playing and following cricket. A champion team was denied a trophy, and it was a hard-earned one. It was not easy. We played two strong games on back-to-back days. I felt we truly deserved it. I do not want to say much more,” Suryakumar told reporters.

“If you ask me about trophies, I have 14 of them in my dressing room. The players and the support staff are the real trophies. I have been a big admirer of them throughout this Asia Cup journey. Those are the real memories I am taking back, and they will stay with me forever.”

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said that they won’t collect the trophy from a person who represents a country that is waging war against India.

“India is fighting a war with a country, and a leader belonging to that country was supposed to hand over the trophy to us…We cannot accept a trophy from a person who represents a country that is waging a war against our country. So we have refused to take that trophy…,” he said

Saikia, however, claimed that the ACC Chairperson took the trophy and medals with him after India didn’t collect them from him.

“…but that does not mean that the gentleman will take the trophy and the medals, which are to be given to our country, to his own hotel room.”

He went on to say, “That is totally unexpected, and we hope that his good sense will prevail. We are going to lodge a very strong protest against the behaviour of the gentleman in today’s prize distribution ceremony.”

Shubman Gill described India’s unbeaten Asia Cup campaign as “pretty amazing” after their thrilling win over Pakistan. Speaking on batting with Abhishek Sharma, Gill said, “We have played almost all of our cricket with each other. We know each other inside out and it’s amazing to bat with him. He has been phenomenal this tournament. It takes the pressure off the non-striker.”

Reflecting on the final, Gill emphasized the calmness under pressure. “Losing three early wickets is never easy, but the way Sanju and Tilak batted, and the way Dube hit those sixes was amazing. There wasn’t much panic with 30 off 3 overs. It was a slow wicket, and the boundaries are bigger, but the way both batters soaked in the pressure and then hit it out of the park was brilliant,” he said.

India spinner Kuldeep Yadav underlined the importance of spin in big matches following India’s Asia Cup 2025 triumph over Pakistan. “Of course, spin is still India’s strength to win big matches. It’s very important to bowl in the middle overs,” he said.

Yadav highlighted the value of India’s spin trio. “Varun and Axar playing together, it’s obviously a luxury. Everyone has a different role. They started really well—after 10-11 overs, Pakistan were 100 for 1. We knew that if you get a couple of wickets after 10 overs, it won’t be easy for a new batter to score,” he explained.

He also revealed how planning helped them make breakthroughs. “Before the game, Hari just sent the screenshot of the lengths where we were going to bowl to the batters,” Yadav said. He saved special praise for Tilak Varma, calling his performance “unbelievable” in the final.

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy reflected on his performance in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, highlighting both strategy and teamwork. “I feel great. At that time, I was going for the wickets, and Fakhar and Farhan were going well. I had done some plans, and they worked out,” he said.

Chakravarthy praised his teammate Kuldeep Yadav for finishing the job. “It gave me memories of KKR when we were playing together. He’s always a star, one of the best spinners,” he added.

On restricting Pakistan’s powerplay, Varun noted, “If you see the trend in the last few matches, the first 10 overs, everyone goes berserk and doesn’t lose wickets. So, after that, we knew that if we bowl in the right space and line, we can curtail them.” He also acknowledged the role of the team analyst: “Due credit to Hari, who has done a lot of work behind the scenes.”