Mohsin Naqvi, who heads both the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has found himself in a big mess after walking away with the Asia Cup 2025 trophy.

The drama started after India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Indian team for staying unbeaten through all eight games and wrote on Twitter: “OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”

The post referred to “Operation Sindoor,” India’s strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoK earlier this year after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that killed 26 people. Modi’s choice of words didn’t sit well with Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Naqvi wrote: “If war is your pride, history already shows your defeats at Pakistan’s hands. No cricket match can change the truth. Bringing war into sports only shows your frustration and spoils the spirit of the game.”

India Says “No” to Trophy from Naqvi , The situation got even more awkward during the prize ceremony. Naqvi was supposed to hand the trophy to Suryakumar Yadav’s side, but the Indian team refused to accept it from him. Instead of letting someone else present it, Naqvi stormed off with the trophy to his hotel, stopping the ceremony halfway.

India didn’t let this spoil their mood. The players celebrated their win and even posed with “invisible trophies,” teasing Naqvi while enjoying their victory. Naqvi is now facing heavy criticism for mixing politics with cricket. Reports say ACC officials wanted Emirates Cricket Board chairman Khalid Al Zarooni to present the trophy, but Naqvi blocked it.

ALSO READ: “Batting on the front foot”: Suryakumar Yadav reacts to PM Modi’s Asia Cup message

Tensions were high throughout the tournament. Indian players avoided shaking hands with Pakistan’s team, and Suryakumar skipped the captains’ photoshoot before the final. Still, India stayed focused on the game. Earlier, Suryakumar had dedicated a group-stage win to the Indian Army. After the final, he announced that he would donate his match fees from all the matches to the Armed Forces, showing his respect despite the controversies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final as “Operation Sindoor on the games field,” saying the outcome remained the same, India wins. He congratulated the team for their spirited performance in a high-pressure match, which helped them lift their ninth Asia Cup title.

PM Modi posted on X, “#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.” The operation, launched by the Indian armed forces on May 7, 2025, came after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. It was a precise, tri-service campaign aimed at dismantling terror networks across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistan. The mission showed coordination and professionalism by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, the team showed their composure to chase down 147 to win with just 2 balls remaining in Dubai. Tilak Varma played a composed yet brave 69 not out from 53, involving several important partnerships with Sanju Samson (24) and Shivam Dube (33) to steer India to victory. Varma's calmness in the chase was important as India lost early wickets with Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill going cheaply.

Asia Cup 2025 Final: Match Highlights

Pakistan got off to a great start with Sahibzada Farhan scoring 57 and Fakhar Zaman scoring 46, putting on 84 runs for the first wicket in under ten overs. However, Kuldeep Yadav (4/30) sent the innings into turmoil, supported by Varun Chakravarthy (2/30), Axar Patel (2/26) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/25). From 113/1, Pakistan plunged to 146 all out, losing nine wickets for just 33 runs.

#OperationSindoor on the games field.

Outcome is the same - India wins!

Congrats to our cricketers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 28, 2025

See Also: Know what Indian players said after winning their ninth title of Asia Cup in 2025

India's pursuit became tense after losing a couple of wickets, but Tilak Varma held the innings together. His controlled drives and some aggressive strokes paired with Dube’s ability to score quickly changed the direction of the game. Varma hit a vital six off Haris Rauf in the last over, and Rinku Singh smashed the winning boundary, earning India a five-wicket victory and their ninth Asia Cup title, a record.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL 2025 Governing Council had invited the Chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force—General Upendra Dwivedi, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh—to attend the IPL final on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The invitation was made three days ago and had special attention to honor Operation Sindoor, a military response in relation to the Pahalgam terror attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The plan was to honor the armed forces for their bravery in a special segment during the final.

Unfortunately, the three service chiefs will not be attending the IPL 2025 final because of ongoing commitments in relation to Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor was announced as a military action by the Indian Army on April 22, after the attack occurred. The Operation involved military action across the Line of Control and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The result was a suspension of the IPL for a week. Once India and Pakistan had agreed upon conditions for a ceasefire, the IPL resumed with a modified schedule, changing the final from May 26 to June 3 and switching other matches to six IPL venues.

In the resumed IPL season, the BCCI has supported the armed forces. Since the resumption, every match has started with the national anthem, and 'Thank You, Armed Forces' messages have been shown across stadium screens. The IPL final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and either the Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, or Gujarat Titans will honor and pay its respects to the forces and victims as a result of the Pahalgam tragedy. 

Operation Sindoor’s Ongoing Demands

The ongoing demands of Operation Sindoor ensure that the service chiefs maintain focus on national security and do not participate in the IPL final. The BCCI plans to conduct a tribute that will encompass, for example, patriotic imagery and remembering the sacrifices made by the armed forces. 

Also Read: Virat Kohli’s sister reacts passionately as RCB make IPL 2025 final [In Picture]

Though not attending the chiefs, the IPL final will host other military officers and soldiers as a show of solidarity for national unity. Although the BCCI's plan of tribute towards the armed forces will be conducted in the IPL final, the BCCI ultimately remains committed to promoting community through fan exposure of cricket.

In the wake of Operation Sindoor, India's military retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, a peculiar name suddenly started trending on social media: Richard Kettleborough, the normally stoic English cricket umpire.

There were whispers on social media speculating that Kettleborough had made a subtle "dig" against Pakistan after the Indian Army's cross-border actions. Amusing as it is to some, let's correct this - there is no authenticated statement, comment, or even a whisper from Kettleborough about the military action or Pakistan's political conditions.

Famous for his strict rulings on the field, Kettleborough has always been impartial in his professional approach, never venturing into political statements. The recent allegations appear to have originated from a meme or parody post that went viral, demonstrating how easily fiction can pass for fact in the current social media environment.

watch the video:

Live Visuals 🚨

~ Celebrations have started in Balochistan after India's 🇮🇳 Operation Sindhoor against Pakistan 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/zeg2lBI1zB

— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) May 7, 2025

ALSO SEE:IPL 2025 Points Table, Purple cap and Orange cap after Mumbai Indians (Mi) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) Match No 56

A cricket umpire’s name trends amid online chaos as fake videos and rumors swirl after Operation Sindoor

While this, the consequence of Operation Sindoor has prompted a spate of online responses. A number of Pakistani social media accounts shared video clips purportedly depicting retaliatory attacks only for eagle-eyed observers to recognize the footage as part of popular video games such as ARMA 3 or Call of Duty. The blunder prompted a spate of memes and derisive comments, with Indian netizens ridiculing the attempt to present gameplay as actual war.

watch the video:

🚨 Big Victory for Pakistan 🇵🇰

~ Pakistani X handles uploading video game footage, that's a big victory for Pakistan Air Force on Game Play 😅

~ What's your take on this 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ueEu5vYJNk

— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) May 7, 2025

Others, meanwhile, alerted on social media to the supposed festive fireworks across Balochistan though unverified reports. Some saw it as symbolic solidarity for India's attack against terror strongholds, while others said it was propaganda.

As tensions brew between the two nuclear neighbors, the war over words online persists to escalate many times crossing over into the boundaries of satire, disinformation, and legitimate reportage.

It is certain that Richard Kettleborough is not moonlighting as a military expert. His name trending after a cross-border raid testifies more about the culture of the internet than the nature of international strife.

In the era of voice-converted AI and headline-fueled memes, checking the source is more critical than ever particularly when the name at stake is more famous for "out" and "not out" than "attack" and "retaliation."