Dubai – The Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai was supposed to be about cricket. Instead, it became a night remembered as much for politics as for play.
Pakistan’s innings began with promise. Sahibzada Farhan’s fluent 57 and Fakhar Zaman’s steady 46 gave the team a solid platform. But once the ball grew older and the pitch slowed, Pakistan’s batsmen abandoned rotation for risky big hits. The result was a collapse of nine wickets for just 33 runs, a self‑inflicted wound that left them stranded at 147. As one commentator put it, “Pakistan stopped Pakistan.”
India’s reply was shaky at first. Reduced to 20 for 3, the chase looked fragile. But Tilak Verma’s unbeaten 69, supported by Shivam Dubey with 33 and Sanju Samson with 24, steadied the innings. India crossed the line in the final over, winning by five wickets.
The drama, however, was only beginning. At the closing ceremony, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. The ceremony ended abruptly, with only Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha lifting the runners‑up trophy. BBC Urdu described the moment as “a historic low point in cricket diplomacy between India and Pakistan.”
Online, the fallout was immediate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the victory on X, calling it “Operation Sindoor on the field of play.” While many Indian fans celebrated, others criticized the remark as trivializing a military operation. Mohsin Naqvi fired back, saying that dragging war into sport “only shows frustration and affects the spirit of the game.”
Indian minister Kiren Rijiju added to the storm by sharing Haris Rauf’s dismissal alongside Jasprit Bumrah’s celebration. Social media hashtags like #OperationTilak and #Rafale trended, with Bumrah’s “plane crash” gesture, a pointed reply to Rauf’s antics in an earlier match, fueling the symbolism.
Despite the controversy, Pakistan’s bowlers kept the contest alive. Faheem Ashraf claimed three wickets, while Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed chipped in. But Haris Rauf, usually lethal at the death, struggled under dewy conditions, conceding 50 runs without a wicket.
For Pakistan, the night was a reminder of how fragile momentum can be. For India, it was a victory overshadowed by politics. And for cricket fans across South Asia, it was proof that in this rivalry, the game is never just about runs and wickets.