India Refuse To Accept Asia Cup Trophy After Beating Pakistan In Dubai

The Indian cricket team did not collect the winner's trophy despite chasing down 147 to beat Pakistan in the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday.

In the late night drama that unfolded, the Men in Blue refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Asian Cricket Council president and the president of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

After speaking with the Player of the Tournament, Player of the Match, and Pakistani captain Salman Agha, announcer Simone Doulle stated that the ceremony was cut short due to India's decision, marking a bizarre end to a politically charged tournament on Sunday.

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The winning side will receive the Asia Cup winners' trophy from Emirates Cricket Board's vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, PTI added, as the team was photographed celebrating and posing for the cameras without the trophy.

However, championship celebration took place as pyrotechnics lit up the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, minus the star of the show - the title trophy.

Indian cricket board (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed their players had refused to accept the winner's trophy from ACC President Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"We have decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan," Saikia told news agency ANI.

The three clashes in the Asia Cup between India and Pakistan have been fraught with tension from the start. Tensions first spiked when India skipped the customary handshake after the opening match, citing solidarity with its armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam attack that killed at least 26 people.

As the rivalry escalated, players on both sides were fined for controversial remarks and provocative gestures. Pakistan's fast bowler Haris Rauf was docked 30 per cent of his match fee after flashing a“6-0” sign at spectators during the Super Four match - a taunt referencing Pakistan's claim of downing six Indian fighter jets during the four-day clash at India-Pakistan border in May this year.

This came after BCCI officially lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Sahibzada Farhan and Rauf. Farhan was let off with a warning for his 'gunshot' celebration during that match.

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was also fined 30 per cent of his match fee after dedicating India's victory over Pakistan to the“bravery” of Indian armed forces and saying that the team“stood with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam (terror) attack”.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint against the Indian skipper for allegedly making political remarks during the post-match presentation and press conference on September 14.

Ahead of the final, PCB also lodged a complaint against Arshdeep Singh - India's leading T20I wicket-taker - accusing him of making“obscene gestures' during the fixture between the two arch-rivals on September 21 in Dubai, according to Samaa TV sources.

The escalating rivalry spilled into the final as well. During the final match Jasprit Bumrah delivered a perfect yorker to send Haris Rauf's off stump flying - and and celebrated with a gesture that appeared to mimic a jet going down.

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