In a heart stopping last over finish of the Asia Cup final, the Indian cricket team stormed to their victory over Pakistan. They refused to accept the championship trophy. Although the match was officially listed as being played at a neutral ground, it was marred by controversy. Chronic political rivalry and anger between the two countries stoked the discord. On September 14, 2023, as this was happening. This occurred a mere four months after another major military confrontation was triggered by a deadly bombing in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir.
Even though India beat Pakistan in the final, the mood was certainly not jubilant. Indian players rejoiced as they fake held a trophy. In yet another bizarre moment, an Indian official intervened and snatched the real Asia Cup champions trophy from the dais. This surprise announcement shocked everyone, including those intimately involved. That was especially shocking considering that Mohsin Naqvi, the president of the Asian Cricket Council and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, was on stage. The Indian contingent strangely could not recognize Naqvi, who chose not to applaud back on the Indian team’s extraordinary showing.
At the bottom of these sports-related lashes are deep and longstanding geopolitical wounds. India has long alleged that Pakistan is a sponsor of cross-border terrorism—which Pakistan adamantly denies. This state of hostility was recently worsened by counterinsurgency military operations such as India’s Operation Sindoor and Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan Marsoos.
A Complex History of Cricket and Politics
Cut historically, the India-Pakistan relationship has been fraught with hostility. Yet this friction frequently extends into the realm of athletics. The idea of “cricket diplomacy” was first brought to global prominence by Pakistan’s former President Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq in the late 1980s. At a time of such high tension concerning Kashmir, Zia made a goodwill visit to India to watch a test match, a move calculated to build goodwill.
From 2003 to 2008, cricket diplomacy reached its zenith as both countries played host to each other for numerous test series. Yet such diplomacy has frequently been undercut by military clashes and by allegations of terrorism. In 1999, India invited Pakistan to play their first bilateral test series in a decade. This momentous act came only a few months after each country had engaged in their own nuclear test.
Mathew John Moolakkattu, an acclaimed cricket commentator, observed on the challenges of this dynamic.
“It is often said that international politics and sports should remain separate, but in reality, this is easier said than done.” – Mathew John Moolakkattu
He said the current discord between the two countries would always be bound to come up in times and places that brought them together. Cricket matches especially tend to expose these strains to their fullest extent.
The Asia Cup Final: A Game or a Statement?
Forty five minutes of a sporting event turned political soap-box. In response to India’s victory, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately tweeted after the match.
“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.” – Narendra Modi
The latter comments are indicative of Modi’s perception that cricket can and should be mixed up with national pride and military successes. On the flip side, Punjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi bemoaned that the incident related to the trophy itself was unfortunate.
“Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports.” – Mohsin Naqvi
The incident has been roundly condemned from all sides. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav gloated after the match that they had won it for the armed forces of India. He paid tribute to those who served heroically in our latest military conflicts.
“We stand by the victims of the families of Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery.” – Suryakumar Yadav
Despite this dedication, many have criticized the Indian team’s refusal to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after the game—a gesture perceived as lacking sportsmanship.
Reactions and Consequences
Devajit Saikia, an official with the Indian contingent, told The Wire why they refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi.
“We have decided not to take the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main political leaders of Pakistan.” – Devajit Saikia
He underscored that while they honor the trophy’s importance, they just could not receive it in these politically volatile terms.
Suryakumar Yadav was another who sounded off about being denied what he considers his rightful trophy.
“I think this is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing cricket… that a champion team is denied a trophy, that too a hard-earned one.” – Suryakumar Yadav
Debates over the effects of politics on our pastimes continue to rage. Cricket is much more than a game, rather an extension of their national identity and long-standing territorial dispute.
