The Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai produced not just a thrilling India-Pakistan match but also unprecedented off-field drama that eclipsed the sport itself. On the field, India made a hard-fought five-wicket win, pursuing Pakistan's 146 with two balls remaining.
Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh: Match-winning heroes
Tilak Varma was the rock with a gritty 69 from 53 balls, steadying the innings after India had reached 20-3. His vital 60-run partnership with Shivam Dube (33) stabilized the innings, before Rinku Singh hit the winning boundary off the lone ball he played during the tournament. Kuldeep Yadav's excellent 4-30 had destroyed Pakistan's tail, to cause a collapse from 113-1 to 146 all out earlier.
Post-match presentation controversy
But the cricketing drama was quickly eclipsed by dramatics at the post-match presentation. In a sensational twist, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha throwing away his winner's cheque in frustration before stating he would be donating his match fee to "civilians and children killed in the Indian attack," referring to India's Operation Sindoor raids. During the post-match presentation, the Pakistan skipper said, "We are donating our match fees to the civilians and the children that were affected in the Indian attack.” His politicized remarks immediately took the debate away from cricket.
The drama had started even prior, when the Indian team had refused to step on to the presentation platform, insisting that only Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni present them with the trophy. There was a standoff with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, forcing organizers to quietly take away the trophy entirely. In the meantime, Indian supporters in the stands burst into shouts of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", further heightening the charged environment.
Pakistan's players remained inside the dressing room for almost an hour before returning to receive their cheques, just to witness their captain unleash his fury in public. The cricketing final reaching a political spectacle was a rare event that left many wonders if PCB mishandled the defeat and the escalating tensions between the two arch-rivals.
The Asia Cup 2025 final will be recalled not only for India's victory after a struggle, but for the unusual circumstances that followed when the last ball was bowled circumstances that defied the distinctions between sport, politics, and patriotism.
