Mohsin Naqvi responds to PM Modi after disappearing with Asia Cup trophy: ‘If war was your measure of pride…’
Hours after running away with the Asia Cup trophy, Mohsin Naqvi reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's congratulatory message. Here's what he had to say.
Mohsin Naqvi, the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is currently at the centre of a huge storm, following his disappearance with the Asia Cup 2025 trophy. Amid all the growing chatter and noise, Naqvi responded to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark of "Operation Sindoor on the games field." After India's thrilling five-wicket win at the Dubai International Stadium, Prime Minister Modi congratulated the entire team for their performance in the eight-team tournament, which saw the side maintain their undefeated streak.
"#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers," PM Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Earlier this year, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, resulted in the loss of 26 lives. India then retaliated by launching Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
PM Modi's tweet clearly miffed Naqvi as he brought out a war reference. The Pakistan Interior Minister, who himself has been guilty of mixing politics with cricket in the Asia Cup 2025, accused the Indian camp of playing with the "spirit of the game."
"If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan's hands. No cricket match can rewrite the truth. Dragging war into sports only exposes your desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game," Naqvi wrote in his response.
The Interior Minister of the Pakistan government was slated to give away the title to Suryakumar Yadav's team; however, India refused to accept the trophy from him and Naqvi, in all his stubbornness, did not allow someone else to take the limelight at the post-match presentation.
As a result, the proceedings were halted midway as Naqvi made his way out of the stadium, taking the Asia Cup trophy with him to his hotel room.
However, these antics did not deter India's spirits, as the side celebrated the Asia Cup 2025 win in style. The entire contingent posed with fictional trophies in their hand, seemingly trolling Naqvi.
Naqvi under fire
The PCB head is facing criticism from all corners as he's being accused of politicising sport and degrading the champions. Even before the first ball of the Asia Cup 2025 final was bowled, the world knew India would not accept the trophy from Naqvi; however, he still went ahead and made his presence felt at the presentation dias.
The ACC officials tried their best to get the Emirates Cricket Board chairman, Khalid Al Zarooni, to step in and give away the trophy, but Naqvi blocked the move.
In the Asia Cup, the Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. Suryakumar Yadav then didn't turn up for the captain's photoshoot before the final.
Earlier, after India's win in the group stage, Suryakumar dedicated the victory to the Indian Armed Forces. After the victory in the final, the Indian skipper said that he would like to donate his match fees from all the matches to the Indian Army.
