‘We Waited an Hour, but the Asia Cup Trophy Was Nowhere’: Tilak Varma on India’s Standoff with Mohsin Naqvi

Nearly a month has passed since Suryakumar Yadav’s India clinched the Asia Cup 2025 title with a five-wicket win over Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium, yet the team has not received the trophy.

India refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chair Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), leading the silverware to remain at ACC headquarters in Dubai. Naqvi has insisted that he personally hand over the trophy.

Tilak Varma, named Player of the Match for his match-winning 69 off 53 balls in the final, has revealed what transpired behind the scenes. The post-match ceremony was delayed by nearly an hour due to back-channel discussions between Naqvi and the Indian management. When Naqvi refused to allow the trophy to be handed over by anyone else, India declined to accept it, celebrating instead with a symbolic trophy.

“We were actually waiting at the ground for one hour. If you look at the TV visuals, you’ll see that I was lying on the ground. The rest were also lying on the ground. Arshdeep Singh was busy making reels. We were just waiting, thinking, ‘The trophy will come anytime now.’ But it never arrived,” Tilak recounted on Breakfast with Champions.

“Arshdeep said, let’s create an atmosphere. He suggested we celebrate like we did for the T20 World Cup in 2024, minus the trophy. Abhishek Sharma, along with 5-6 others, agreed, and we went ahead with it,” he added.

BCCI-ACC Standoff
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently wrote to the ACC requesting Naqvi hand over the trophy. In response, Pakistan’s Interior Minister said India could collect it only if a senior official or member of the Indian management came to Dubai to receive it from Naqvi.

On the field, India were dominant, winning all their matches in the Asia Cup and defeating Pakistan three times during the eight-team tournament.

“We were confident, but cricket is a funny game. In big tournaments like the Asia Cup or the World Cup, one off day can cost you. But the way I played against Pakistan in the final, I can’t play like that every match,” Tilak said.

Despite the trophy delay, India celebrated their unbeaten campaign with pride and determination, ensuring the moment was not diminished.