India defeated Pakistan in the final of Asia Cup 2025 and skipper Salman Ali Agha struggled to contain his anger in the post-match media conference. Having lost twice already to India in the tournament prior to Sunday’s final, Pakistan had anticipated turning things around in the championship game, but a masterful performance from Tilak Varma led India to a richly deserved victory on Sunday.
After the game, Agha was questioned about the off-field problems that had dominated portions of the tournament beginning with the much-touted incident on September 14, when Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav allegedly refused a handshake. The controversy escalated during the final, when the Indian team refused to accept the winner’s trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and a political figure in Pakistan. In retaliation, Naqvi took the trophy and medals back to his hotel room, according to reports.
“Sir, what has happened in this tournament is very disappointing. If you look at cricket, they are thinking that if they do not shake hands with us, they are disrespecting us. No, sir, they are disrespecting cricket. What they did today, a good team will never behave this way,” he told the reporter in the presser after the match.
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“A good team will behave just like we did. We were waiting there to receive our medals. We got our pictures taken separately with the trophy before the start of the game. Whatever they are doing with the game, I don’t want to use very harsh words. This is very disrespectful; they are being disrespectful to the game,” Salman added.
“He shook hands with me in private at the start of the tournament. Both at the pre-tournament press conference and when we met in the referee’s meeting. But when they’re out in the world in front of the cameras, they don’t shake our hands. I’m sure he’s following the instructions he’s been given, but if it were up to him, he’d shake hands with me,” Agha asserted.
Replying to a media query on India’s general behavior during the Asia Cup, Salman avoided using sharp words but did say the Indian team’s behavior was “disrespectful.” He went on to explain that Suryakumar had indeed welcomed him privately with a handshake at the beginning of the tournament opposite to what some observed on television.
Even without the presence of the trophy during the presentation, the Indian team wasn’t flustered. Suryakumar and his men celebrated in earnest, with the Indian captain going so far as to imitate the lift of a trophy on the podium, keeping the celebratory mood alive.
