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The final of the Asia Cup ended Sunday night with India winning by five wickets. There were many disappointing moments from the match, including Haris Rauf’s performance, but perhaps what stung more was the aftermath.

The closing ceremony saw the Indian team refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, and celebrating instead with an imaginary trophy. There was also a tweet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who decided this was the perfect opportunity to use the Indian cricket team’s victory for political point scoring.

“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” he tweeted.

Modi is getting flak not only from Pakistan but also from Indian X users, who are calling him out for reducing a military conflict to a cricket match.

‘A troll on the throne’

Killing the spirit of the game

Many pointed out that by mixing cricket with “dirty politics”, Modi was turning the sport into a political game.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team’s refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi, as well as its inadequate display of sportsmanship — notably, not shaking hands with our players — throughout the tournament, was also criticised. We need to respect the game, many said.

Pakistan team captain Salman Agha also said that India’s actions had “disrespected cricket” while speaking to reporters after the match.

“If they think they disrespected us by not shaking hands, then I say they disrespected cricket. What they did today, a good team doesn’t do that. Good teams do what we have done. We waited for our medals and took them. It’s been seen for the first time. I do not know where it will stop. What has happened in this tournament is bad for cricket.”

Mohsin Naqvi 1 - India 0

After the closing ceremony, Naqvi called Modi out for his tweet and said, “Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.“

While many Indian users portrayed Naqvi as having run away with the trophy, as if it were a robbery situation, Pakistanis lauded him for taking a stand.

Modi the ‘war monger’

People were upset at the hatred and war-mongering on display.

Indian team celebrates with trophy emoji

There was also the curious case of the trophy emoji. After the tournament, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav celebrated online with an edited picture holding a trophy emoji instead of an actual trophy, and we’re not sure if that’s a mockery or truly sad.

At the end of the day, cricket is supposed to unite, not divide. Rivalries on the field are part of the game, but dragging politics and war into it strips away the very essence of sport.

Whether it’s refusing handshakes, mocking with emojis, or using a cricket victory for political mileage, the fallout of this Asia Cup final will be remembered less for the runs and wickets and more for the lack of grace that overshadowed the game.