India solidified its dominance in the Asia Cup, securing a record ninth championship title after a hard-fought five-wicket victory over arch-rival Pakistan in a thrilling final this Sunday. However, the on-field triumph was followed by a notable off-field absence, as the Indian team did not attend the subsequent trophy presentation.
The celebratory ceremony was delayed for over an hour, with eventual confirmation from presenter Simon Doull that the Indian squad would not be coming out to collect their awards. This decision capped a tournament where diplomatic tensions were palpable, including the absence of traditional handshakes between the two teams throughout the competition.
The match itself was a nail-biter. Set a target of 147, India’s chase was precarious at best, stumbling to 20 for 3 and later 77 for 4. The victory was anchored by a composed and unbeaten 69 from Tilak Varma, who steered his team through the high-pressure situation. A crucial 60-run partnership with Shivam Dube (33) stabilized the innings, before Varma and Rinku Singh sealed the win with two balls to spare, sparking immediate on-field celebrations.
The foundation for India’s win was laid by their bowlers. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the chief architect, dismantling the Pakistani batting lineup with figures of 4 for 30. After a strong 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46), Kuldeep’s breakthrough triggered a spectacular collapse. Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for just 62 runs, crumbling from a comfortable 113 for 1 to be all out for 146.
The tournament was marked by more than just cricketing skill, reflecting the strained relations between the two nations. From the opening toss without a handshake, the contest was charged with competitive animosity. On-field gestures seen as provocative, such as Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah mimicking a previous celebration by Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, added to the tense atmosphere.
This backdrop likely contributed to the Indian team’s decision to forego the trophy ceremony, which would have involved receiving the award from Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council.
Individual accolades were still awarded, with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma named Player of the Tournament for his 314 runs, while the match-winning Tilak Varma rightly took home the Player of the Match honour for his clutch innings under pressure.