Shoaib Malik Warns Indian Team For Boycotting Mohsin Naqvi: ‘This Will Haunt…’ | Cricket News

After a thrilling victory in the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday against arch-rivals Pakistan, Team India refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side eventually celebrated with an empty trophy after Naqvi left the venue with the silverware and medals.

While Naqvi is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chief and to perform the duties during the presentation ceremony as is customary, his recent anti-India posts amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the two countries are understood to have caused angst in the Indian camp.

Now, former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has made scathing remarks against the Indian team. Further adding fuel to the fire, the former allrounder said India’s decision not to accept the trophy from a Pakistani hand is something that would “haunt” them in the years to come.

“Just see how much pressure the players went through to win the Asia Cup. How much heat was there that they played in. They worked so hard. Why did they do all that hard work? To win the Asia Cup trophy, to win the tournament! And after they’ve worked so hard, you don’t even come to take the trophy,” said Malik, as quoted by The Indian Express.

“It was such a big achievement, and that too after such a close match. It’s a massive moment. Look, today, they might be celebrating this thing like this. But down the line, after a few years, this will haunt them. They’ll think: ‘We won the trophy, we worked hard’. They are athletes and sportsmen. A sportsman’s job is to come to the ground, give your best shot, and that’s it,” he added.

As per the daily, what triggered Team India’s stance against Naqvi, the ACC and PCB official, was his reposting of objectionable posts on social media platform X.

Naqvi reposted a tweet titled ‘Final Day’, where Pakistan captain Salman Agha and speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi were seen wearing flight suits. In the background were images of airborne fighter jets as a reference to Pakistan’s unproven claims of taking down Indian jets during Indian army’s brave execution of Operation Sindoor in May.

Later on that night, when Suryakumar spoke to the media, the Indian captain showed little regret at skipping the trophy ceremony. “I have never seen a champion (team) not getting a trophy. We deserved it. The real trophies are my 14 colleagues, and they will stay in my memory,” said the Indian captain.