Naqvi Reprises War vs Sport Debate Amid Modi’s “Operation Sindoor” Rhetoric
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi sharply rebuked India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi politicised India’s Asia Cup final victory. Modi posted on X: “#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same — India wins!”, referencing India’s military action against Pakistan in May.
Naqvi responded that “if war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands,” implicitly citing Pakistan’s resilience during the conflict. He added that no cricket match can rewrite that truth. He further warned that dragging war into sport exposes desperation and betrays the spirit of the game.
The tension stems from deeper divisions. During the post‑final ceremony, the Indian team refused to collect the trophy from Naqvi, rupturing customary sportsmanship and marking a low in India‑Pakistan cricket relations. Simon Doull, the presenter, disclosed that India had informed the ACC it would not accept awards from Naqvi.
Match Fees Donation, Player Statements, and Cricketing Fallout
In a counter gesture, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its entire Asia Cup final match fees would be donated to the civilian victims of India’s May 7 attack, citing lives lost including children. This followed India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s earlier pledge to donate his personal match fee to victims on the Indian side.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha publicly criticised India’s conduct, accusing them of disrespecting cricket. “If they think not shaking hands disrespected us, I say they disrespected the game,” he said. He praised his own team for accepting their medals and maintaining decorum.
Yadav defended India’s boycott of the trophy handover, claiming that his team was “denied” the trophy and made a strategic decision on the ground. He added: “My trophies are in my dressing room—they are the real trophies for me.”
This confrontation unfolded against the backdrop of recent military hostilities. The Asia Cup marked the first time India and Pakistan faced each other on the cricket field since the May escalation triggered by cross‑border strikes. Diplomatic relations have remained fraught since, and now cricket has become another arena for their political contest.
