India Didn't Collect the Asia Cup Trophy After Beating Pakistan — What Really Happened

India’s national cricket team is no stranger to high-pressure matches and emotional victories, especially when facing their long-time rival Pakistan.

Winning the Asia Cup should have been a moment of celebration, complete with lifting the trophy in front of roaring sports fans.

But the post-match cricket ceremony didn’t unfold as expected. Instead of the traditional trophy lift, India left the field without collecting their prize, sparking widespread speculation and debate.

So, why did India not collect the Asia Cup trophy after their win?

According to ESPN, the ceremony was delayed for more than an hour after India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final.

When the moment finally came, the team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s interior minister.

“We have decided not to take the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated.

“So we decided not to take it from him. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy with him along with the medals. So it is very unfortunate, and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible.”

NBC News also reported that before the ceremony began, officials even removed the trophy from the presentation podium. No explanation was provided by the ACC, adding to the confusion.

India’s Twenty20 skipper Surya Kumar Yadav said the team was denied the chance to lift the 2025 Asia Cup trophy. “This is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing cricket, started following cricket — a champion team is denied a trophy, that too a hard-earned one."

After the delay at the match, the Indian team celebrated on the field without the trophies or medals but it likely won't end there.

A formal protest to ensure the trophy and medals are handed over to the players is expected.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, "There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson."

Beyond logistics, however, the standoff reflects the broader tensions that continue to shadow cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. Rivalries on the field are one thing, but political undercurrents often find their way into the game’s traditions. In this case, even a post-match ceremony.

India has refused to shake hands with Pakistan players at any of the three matches throughout the tournament, so this wasn't the first appearance of an issue. However, no one expected this.

India’s Asia Cup victory will be remembered not only for their performance on the pitch but also for the unusual scene that followed. Instead of a triumphant lift, the night ended with unanswered questions and a trophy left unclaimed.

It was a reminder that in cricket, as in life, things can take unexpected twists and turns.