Follow UsFormer South Africa captain and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend AB de Villiers has weighed in on the controversies that overshadowed the Asia Cup 2025, urging that politics be kept out of sport. India beat Pakistan three times during the tournament - including in the final - but every clash sparked fresh drama.
The trouble began in the group stage when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged an official complaint with the ICC, accusing Indian players of breaching the spirit of cricket by refusing post-match handshakes. The PCB also demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging he had advised India captain Suryakumar Yadav to skip the customary handshake at the toss.
Things escalated in the Super Fours clash, where Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan were seen making provocative gestures towards Indian fans. Haris and Shaheen Shah Afridi were also involved in a series of heated moments with Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.
The final only intensified tensions. Yet again, there were no handshakes, and after India clinched the title with a five-wicket win, the team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB chairman, walked away from the ceremony with both the trophy and the medals. He has since said the Indian players can collect their prizes from him personally if they wish to.
Reacting to the situation, de Villiers said on his YouTube channel, as reported by Hindustan Times: “Team India sort of weren’t happy with who was handing out the trophy. I don’t feel that belongs in sports. Politics should stay aside. Sport is one thing, and it should be celebrated for what it is. Quite sad to see that, but hopefully they sort things out in the future. It does put the sport, the players, the sportsmen, the cricketers in a very tough position, and that’s what I hate to see. It was quite awkward there at the end.”
Meanwhile, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali also criticised India’s refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi. Speaking to Pakistan’s Arynews TV, as reported by TOI, he said: "They are the No.1-ranked team, but their actions are third-rate. Mohsin Naqvi will present the trophy - if they refuse to accept, they would be disgraced in the eyes of the world. The trophy should not be handed over.
"You're the No.1 team, you played well and won, but what is this stubbornness? Mohsin Naqvi is the head of the Asian Cricket Council. Suppose it had been an ICC event, and Pakistan refused to accept the trophy from Jay Shah, Pakistan would have been wrong there.”