New Delhi: After defeating Pakistan in the final game of the Asia Cup to win the tournament on Sunday, the Indian cricket team refused to collect their trophy and medals.

Following the presentation of post-match awards and handing over of medals to the Pakistan team, the live broadcast ended abruptly. Presenter Simon Doull read out an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) statement at the end, stating that the Indian team would not be receiving the award during the ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew a sharp parallel between the contest in Dubai and the Indian military’s recent cross-border campaign.

“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” the PM posted on X.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has hit back at Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi after he ran away with the Asia Cup trophy despite India winning the title.

Amidst all the frenzy, Mathrubhumi spoke to young cricket enthusiasts to capture public sentiment—and opinions were deeply divided.

For some, Team India’s decision appeared to be a breach of protocol.

“Asia Cup is a multinational tournament. As per protocol, the winning team has to accept the trophy from the ACC president, whoever he may be,” said Akshay Gohil from Ahmedabad.

Echoing that, Jahid AL from West Bengal added, “If they don’t take the trophy, then they shouldn’t have played the final. Politics shouldn’t be everywhere. This incident has brought disrespect to the entire ACC.”

“Politics should remain separate from sports,” said Pawan Saluja of Bhopal. “If India was uncomfortable, it could have opted out of the tournament altogether. Declining the trophy looks discourteous.”

Others felt the refusal was justified and even necessary.

“It’s not India who refused—it’s Naqvi who ran away with the trophy. He has constantly demeaned India, so refusing it from him is fair on moral grounds,” argued Pratik Parthasarathi from Bihar.

Rahul R from Pathanamthitta, Kerala backed the team: “It reflects a strong and principled stand given the tensions with Pakistan.” 

Supporting Rahul, Adarsh Balakrishnan from God’s own country said that if global football bodies are being urged to suspend Israel over Palestine, then the BCCI’s decision to act against the PCB cannot be termed wrong.

Arshad Khan from Udaipur went further: “Every Asian team must know who is the best. We are the champions of 2025—that matters. The trophy will reach the BCCI office eventually; it won’t go to Pakistan.”

Akshay E from Malappuram said the move was more of a statement. Since backing out of an international event carries consequences, the team chose this form of protest instead. "There was nothing wrong with it, noting that sports have often been used to make statements in the past,” he added. 

The trophy might still reach India, but for now, it’s the symbolism, not the silverware, that has set the cricketing world ablaze.

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