DUBAI – The Pakistan team’s donation of its Asia Cup final match fees has drawn wide respect at home and abroad. At the same time, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) decided to keep the Asia Cup trophy at its headquarters after India’s refusal to accept it during the final ceremony.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on X that the squad unanimously agreed to donate their match fees to the families of the May 7 attack victims. “The Pakistan Cricket Team has dedicated its Asia Cup final match fees to the innocent victims martyred in the May 7 attack. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” the post read.
The Pakistan team’s donation has been praised as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and humanity. Analysts said the decision reminded fans that cricket has the power to unite communities even in times of hardship. Many supporters called the act a “moral victory” that mattered more than the result on the scoreboard.
By contrast, controversy surrounded the Indian team after they declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi. Sources confirmed that the ACC will not hand over the trophy at any later stage. Instead, the original cup will remain displayed at its Dubai headquarters as a reminder of the unusual episode.
Naqvi, who also serves as PCB Chairman, directly criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for politicizing cricket. “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands. No cricket match can rewrite that truth,” he wrote. He added that dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and damages the game’s spirit.
The row escalated when Indian players Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill posted edited images on social media. The photos showed them holding a trophy that they never received. Journalists also pressed Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav about the refusal, but he avoided clear answers and appeared uncomfortable.
Through the Pakistan team’s donation and the ACC’s firm response, South Asian cricket revealed two very different approaches. Pakistan’s players chose empathy and unity, while India’s defiance left the trophy unclaimed and sparked debate over sportsmanship.
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