The Asia Cup 2025, which concluded on September 28, 2025, was fraught with controversies from start to finish. Particularly, the three matches between India and Pakistan were overshadowed by contentious actions from players and team management, keeping the tournament in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
SNPNEWS.IN News Cricket Update, Sep 25: The Asia Cup 2025 ended yesterday amid controversies. The three encounters between India and Pakistan in this tournament remained a subject of dispute from the toss to the tournament’s conclusion.
Let’s explore how the controversies that began at the toss of the league-stage match continued to dominate discussions until the closing ceremony.
●League Stage Match (September 14, 2025, Dubai): The controversies kicked off during the toss of the India-Pakistan league-stage match. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and other players refused to shake hands with the Pakistani players at the toss and after the match, ignoring them entirely.
This led to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodging a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), labeling the act as “disrespectful to cricket” and threatening to withdraw from the tournament.
The refusal to shake hands sparked further controversy when a leader from India’s Aam Aadmi Party challenged Suryakumar Yadav to donate his tournament earnings to the families of the victims of the phelgam attack. In response, after the final, Suryakumar announced that he would donate his match fees from all games to the Indian Army.
During the match, Pakistani fielder Haris Rauf made a controversial “6-0” gesture towards Indian fans, referencing the May 2025 border skirmish (‘Operation Sindoor’) and Pakistan’s claim of downing six Indian jets. This gesture infuriated Indian fans and went viral online.
The no-handshake controversy post-match created significant drama. The PCB accused match referee Andy Pycroft of bias and demanded his removal from the tournament. This threat pushed Pakistan to the brink of withdrawing, which also delayed their subsequent match against the UAE (September 17) by an hour.
The controversy linked the tournament to political tensions, drawing the ICC into the fray. Withdrawing could have cost Pakistan up to $16 million, compelling them to continue participating.
The ICC rejected the PCB’s demand to remove Pycroft, stating that changing the match referee would set a “dangerous precedent.” They clarified that the no-handshake issue was an internal matter between the tournament organizers and teams, not the referee’s responsibility. This forced the PCB to back down after consulting former chairmen Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi.
Eventually, Pycroft met with Pakistan’s coach Mike Hesson and captain Salman Ali Agha, apologizing for the “miscommunication” (which the PCB took as regret). Pakistan then proceeded to play their match. The ICC later penalized the PCB for recording the meeting and issued warnings for further violations.
● Super-4 and Final Match: The controversies persisted into the Super-4 match (September 22) and the final (September 28).
Pakistani opener Sahibzada Farhan scored a half-century in the final and repeated a “gun-like gesture,” similar to one made in the Super-4 match, which was linked to the May 2025 skirmish. Indian fans labeled it “uncivilized” on social media, accusing match referee Andy Pycroft of failing to act against Pakistani players.
Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh trolled Haris Rauf in the Super-4 match by mimicking a “fighter jet” gesture, extending his arms to imitate a plane and pointing towards Rauf. The video went viral, with Indian fans calling it a “brilliant response.” Indian wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma appeared unfazed in the footage, and Indian fans widely supported this reaction. However, Pakistan labeled it an “obscene gesture.”
The PCB filed a complaint with the ICC against Arshdeep, alleging that his gesture towards the crowd was offensive and damaging to cricket’s reputation. This complaint, lodged before the final, added to the ongoing tensions, as the PCB had previously complained about Suryakumar Yadav’s actions.
Match referee Andy Pycroft, part of the ICC Elite Panel, was responsible for addressing these controversial gestures. He found Arshdeep guilty under ICC Code of Conduct Article 2.5 (provocative gestures towards the crowd) and issued a formal warning without a fine or match ban. Pakistani media called this decision “lenient.” Meanwhile, Haris Rauf’s earlier gesture received only a verbal warning, which Indian fans and media criticized as “biased,” arguing that Rauf’s action provoked Arshdeep’s response.
● In the final, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah bowled out Haris Rauf with a yorker in the 18th over’s final ball (Rauf scoring 6 runs). Bumrah celebrated with a controversial “plane crash” gesture, moving his hand downward to mimic a falling aircraft, directly referencing Rauf’s earlier “6-0” and “fighter jet” gestures. Indian fans celebrated this, while Pakistani fans deemed it offensive.
Indian batsman Tilak Varma further escalated the drama by hitting a six off Haris Rauf in the final and trolling him with a stare-down and bat gesture. Rauf was Pakistan’s most expensive bowler, conceding 50 runs in 3.4 overs without taking a wicket, contributing significantly to Pakistan’s defeat. This led to widespread trolling of Rauf on social media.
● Post-Final Controversy: After India’s victory in the final (5 wickets, chasing 147/5 in 19.4 overs), Suryakumar Yadav refused to accept the trophy from ACC and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, citing the April 2025 Phelgam attack and May 2025 border skirmish (‘Operation Sindoor’) as reasons for protest. The Indian team skipped the presentation ceremony, only collecting their medals. Pakistani media and fans called this “disrespectful to cricket,” with former player Waqar Younis labeling it “against the spirit of cricket.”
The PCB filed another complaint with the ICC, calling the trophy refusal a “disrespect to sportsmanship,” but the ICC deemed it an internal team decision and took no action. Mohsin Naqvi criticized India on social media, further fueling the controversy.
Suryakumar, in a press conference, stated, “We played the game with full integrity, but we wanted to take a clear stand on certain issues.” Indian fans supported this, but it sparked debate in cricketing circles.
The Asia Cup T20 2025 was mired in controversies from the outset. The wife of a martyred Indian Army officer from the Pahalgam incident had previously criticized the Indian government and the BCCI for allowing cricket matches with Pakistan.
The tournament’s controversies, including the no-handshake issue, Haris Rauf’s gestures, Arshdeep Singh’s response, PCB’s threats, and India’s refusal to accept the trophy, overshadowed the cricket and fueled intense discussions on social media.