Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi criticised India for dragging war into sports after Prime Minister Narendra Modi politicised the recent Asia Cup 2025 final.
In a post on social media, PM Modi congratulated his cricket team on the victory over the rivals, calling it a continuation of India Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
The PCB Chairman responded by saying history had already recorded India defeats at Pakistan hands and no cricket result could change those military outcomes.
The Interior Minister added that mixing war references with cricket exposed desperation and undermined the spirit of the game, which thrives on mutual respect.
Tensions deepened further when the Indian team refused to collect the winners trophy from Naqvi, a rare move in international cricketing history.
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Commentator Simon Doull confirmed during the post-match presentation that the Indian players had declined to receive their awards from the tournament organisers.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board announced that team members will donate their match fees to civilians killed during the May 7 Indian attack.
Captain Salman Agha also accused India of disrespecting cricket by refusing post-match handshakes and avoiding customary formalities after the final game.
Indian batsman SuryaKumar Yadav claimed the team considered its players as real trophies, dismissing the need to physically collect the official tournament award.
The Asia Cup marked the first cricketing encounter between Pakistan and India since their May conflict, which had escalated military tensions between both neighbours.