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Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik has criticized the Indian team for refusing to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the Asian Cricket Council President and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup final. However, the drama unfolded after the match, with the post-match presentation delayed by an hour.
The delay was due to India’s refusal, stemming from the fact that the trophy was to be handed over by the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.
The stage for the post-match ceremony was not set for an extended period. At last the stage was set up with Mohsin Naqvi and other dignitaries taking their place.
However, the ceremony ended without the silverware as the Indian team celebrated their victory without their trophy.
Speaking in a post-match show, Shoaib talked about the post-match presentation ceremony of the final.
“Think about the pressure on players, the heat they battled, and the effort they gave. All of it was for one reason – to win the trophy and the tournament,” he said.
“And after all their hard work, they still didn’t step forward to collect the trophy. For now, they might celebrate the choice in their own way, but down the line, after a few years, this will haunt them. We won the trophy, gave our best, yet never took it,” he continued.
He called it a missed opportunity for the Indian team and mentioned the impact of a sportsman on the field.
“At the end of the day, they are athletes, they are players. Their role is to step onto the field and give everything they have. This was a huge achievement, a tight contest, and not taking the trophy, it means missing out on the moment. It was a massive moment,” he concluded.
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