ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Indian cricketers were mocked after they shared photos online with what appears to be a fake Asia Cup trophy, just hours after the Men in Blue refused to collect the official Asia Cup 2025 silverware from Mohsin Naqvi.
Mohsin Naqvi is Pakistan’s interior minister and also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chief.
The online posts sparked ridicule, with many questioning why the Men in Blue would pose with a replica while snubbing the real prize. The social media users were unable to understand what exactly the Indians were celebrating.
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma and others uploaded images of themselves posing with a trophy sticker on social media platforms.
The images sparked a wave of mockery from fans, with many questioning the purpose of a fake trophy display when the team refused to collect the trophy from ACC head Mohsin Naqvi.
One user wrote: “Another fake trophy… just like the fake ‘Op Sindoor’ glory. Shine outside, hollow inside.”
One Indian journalist said: “Suryakumar Yadav can do all the posturing and cheering, but he’ll have to live with the fact that, despite being a star cricketer and an India captain, he was used as a political pawn to the whims and fancies (and hypocrisy) of the government.”
Asia Cup trophy fiasco
The closing ceremony of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 ended in controversy on Sunday after the Indian team declined to collect the winners’ trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). India had clinched the trophy by beating Pakistan in the final by five wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
However, the post-match presentation was delayed after the Indian team refused to collect trophy from Naqvi, damaging the gentleman’s game. The ceremony concluded sans the traditional handover, marking an unusual end to the tournament.
