Cricket & conflict: How Asia Cup finale became mocking match between India, Pakistan players

India’s ninth Asia Cup victory turned into a side note as the final against Pakistan was marred by confrontation, with rival players mocking each other during and after the match. India won by five wickets on Sunday night, but the contest carried the tension that had run through the tournament.

It began with India’s refusal to shake hands as a mark of solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the armed forces, but the gesture soon gave way to a mocking battle in the final.

Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Haris Rauf in the 18th over with a yorker and sent him off by imitating the Pakistan pacer’s dipping-flight celebration from the Super 4 clash. Bumrah’s “crashing-plane” motion went viral on social media. Rauf’s earlier celebration was seen as a dig at India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ after Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 tourists this year.


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When India eventually sealed the win, a fresh controversy broke out at the presentation. Pakistan’s Interior Minister and Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi walked up to hand the trophy, but the Indian team refused to accept it. The ceremony ended over an hour late without the champions touching the cup, which Naqvi left with.

Players later turned to social media, using emojis to underline the missing trophy. Arshdeep Singh, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana mocked spinner Abrar Ahmed’s head-tilt celebration, while Varun Chakravarthy shared a symbolic tea cup image. Hardik Pandya and others posted pictures with trophy emojis instead of the real prize.


The friction between the teams had been evident throughout. India’s “No Handshake Policy” drew sharp criticism from Pakistan, with officials even blaming Zimbabwean match referee Andy Pycroft.

Rauf had earlier provoked hostilities in the Super 4 match, responding to chants of “Kohli, Kohli” with taunts and an obscene plane-downing gesture — a repeat of his celebration during the final. The chant was a reference to Virat Kohli’s sixes off Rauf in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha criticised India’s behaviour. “What India have done this tournament is very disappointing. They are not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they are disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t do what they did,” he said at the post-match press conference.

The Indians, however, celebrated their victory online — without the trophy.

(With inputs from PTI)