Now that the controversial Asia Cup is over, cricket can take precedence

The 2025 Asia Cup was about everything but cricket. Although the two heavyweights played out a nervy final in Dubai, cricket is not what anyone seems to talk about. Why so? Perhaps due to the controversies that marred this edition of the continental event. No one even cared about this eight-team tournament until the BCCI and its counterpart (the PCB) agreed to play together despite recent heightened cross-border tensions.

India retaliated to the Pahalgam terror attack with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising terrorists and their camps across PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes, almost leading to a war-like situation. Although a mutual understanding between the two nuclear powers defused the usage of weapons, their relationship turned worse, with India cutting all diplomatic ties with Pakistan. However, what stood its ground was the agreement between the respective cricket boards to honour ICC’s international/multi-team events rules, leading to both sharing the same group.

After days of chatter, rumours and hype around the IND-PAK match, the tournament got underway in the UAE. Five days since the start, the marquee game headlined for all good, bad and ugly reasons. Even though ‘Boycott IND-PAK’ was trending on social media, this match garnered fair attention, perhaps not just for cricket, but for plenty more reasons that only mattered.

While Suryakumar Yadav also explained his team’s decision not to shake hands with the Pakistani players, he dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces for leading a successful Operation Sindoor. That, however, was the turning point as every India-Pakistan match (after that) became less about a cricket match and more about everything else.

Come the next game in the Super Fours, emotions and anger flared. Several Pakistani players made uncalled-for gestures, including opener Sahibzada Farhan and seamer Haris Rauf. While Farhan’s ‘gun-fire’ celebration made headlines for the wrong reasons, Rauf’s ‘6-0’ gesture mocking the Indian fans in the stands turned things ugly. India won that game too by six wickets, but does anyone remember it? Maybe not!

Returning to something that everyone liked more, the controversies, the BCCI took this matter to the apex body, and PCB also complained to the ICC about Suryakumar politicising India-Pakistan clashes. After a thorough review of all incidents, the ICC reprimanded those in question, while also warning all players against breaching its code of conduct.

The final, drama and everything in between

The grand finale of the 2025 Asia Cup was again not much about cricket but more about what happened before and after the game.

Tilak Varma inspired India to beat Pakistan for the third time this edition; however, the one hour after Rinku Singh hit the winning runs was the highlight.

Not only did the Indian Team walk off without shaking hands with Pakistani players, but they also refused to collect the coveted Asia Cup trophy from the ACC president and PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the interior minister in the Pakistan government.

The celebrations continued afterwards, but cricket seemed to have been forgotten. Not for long, though, as India will face the West Indies in the two-match Test series starting October 2 in Ahmedabad.