India secured a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title with a tense five-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, but the on-field triumph was quickly overshadowed by an unprecedented off-field controversy as the winning team skipped the trophy presentation ceremony.

The dramatic boycott concluded a tournament fraught with political undertones and on-field friction between the two cricketing giants, who have not engaged in a bilateral series for over a decade.

There were some dramatic scenesin Dubai as India celebrated without the trophy
 

A Tense Chase and a Last-Over Thriller

Chasing a modest target of 147, India's victory was sealed in a nail-biting final over. The cornerstone of the chase was Tilak Varma's magnificent unbeaten 69. He anchored the innings and forged a critical 60-run partnership with Shivam Dube (33).

With 10 runs needed from the last over, Varma smashed a six before Rinku Singh hit the winning boundary with just two balls to spare, sparking jubilant celebrations in the Indian camp.

Earlier, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the chief architect of Pakistan's collapse, claiming impressive figures of 4 for 30. Despite a strong start from openers Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46), who put on an 84-run stand, Pakistan crumbled from a promising 113-1 to be all out for 146 in 19.1 overs. Kuldeep's devastating 17th over, where he took three wickets, proved to be the turning point.

"It is a tough pill to swallow," a disappointed Pakistan skipper Salman Agha admitted post-match. "We could not finish well in the batting. Bowling, we gave everything."

Trophy Snub Stuns Cricket World

The celebratory mood soured during the post-match presentation. After a delay of over an hour, presenter Simon Doull announced, "I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight."

Media reports suggested the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head, Mohsin Naqvi. This unprecedented move left the organizers in a state of confusion and brought the ceremony to an abrupt end.

The decision was the culmination of a tournament where tensions were palpable from the start. No handshakes occurred between the players of the two nations at any point, including at the toss for the final. The rivalry was further stoked when Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah mimicked a gesture made by Pakistan's Haris Rauf in a previous encounter, underscoring the animosity that defined the competition.

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