The Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Stadium ended in dramatic fashion both on and off the field, as India defeated Pakistan by five wickets to clinch their ninth Asia Cup title. However, the post-match celebrations were overshadowed by controversy when the Indian team was forced to wait nearly 45 minutes before the presentation ceremony began.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri was furious with the delay, calling it “ridiculous” during a live broadcast with former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram. “The players are being made to wait to lift the trophy. The crowd is ready, they are making noise, and yet the presentation is delayed. This is unacceptable after such a big final,” Shastri said on Sony Sports Network.
The tension stemmed from the presence of ACC head Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Reports suggested the Indian camp initially refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, leading to a prolonged stand-off. The ceremony eventually began, but Naqvi refrained from presenting awards and was seen leaving the stage abruptly, taking the trophy with him.
The unusual turn of events left fans confused as former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull announced that India would not receive their winners’ medals. The lack of clarity about when India would officially be handed the trophy sparked anger on social media, with many calling out the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for mismanagement.
On the field, India had to battle hard after being reduced to 20/3 while chasing 147. Tilak Varma played a stunning unbeaten knock of 69 off 53 balls, guiding India to victory. He was supported by Sanju Samson (24) and Shivam Dube (33), before Rinku Singh sealed the win with a boundary on the very first ball he faced in the tournament.
Earlier, Pakistan had collapsed from a strong position of 113/1 to 146 all out in 20 overs. Kuldeep Yadav was the star with the ball, taking four wickets including key dismissals of Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, and Faheem Ashraf.
India’s triumph marked their record ninth Asia Cup title, but the night will be equally remembered for the chaos that followed the match. As Shastri summed it up, “The game lived up to the hype of a final, but the 45-minute delay after the last ball was nothing short of absurd.”
