Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked controversy by connecting India’s Asia Cup victory over Pakistan to the recent cross-border tensions earlier this year. His comments have ignited political and sporting debates across South Asia.

Modi’s “Operation Sindoor” Remark

After India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup Final 2025 in Dubai, Prime Minister Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”

The Prime Minister’s words referred to the May 2025 conflict in Kashmir, where India launched Operation Sindoor following an attack that killed 22 tourists. India accused Pakistan of orchestrating the assault, an allegation Pakistan strongly rejected.

The four-day clash killed more than 70 people, with both sides claiming victory. During that conflict, India lost several fighter jets to Pakistani fire, a fact later confirmed by a senior Indian naval officer.

Trophy Ceremony Drama in Dubai

The Asia Cup final ended with India beating Pakistan by five wickets, but tensions overshadowed the celebrations.

• Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistani team during all three encounters of the tournament.

• The team also rejected the Asia Cup trophy, as it was to be presented by Mohsin Naqvi, who serves both as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) President.

• Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull confirmed that India chose not to collect the trophy in protest.

While Indian cricketers Tilak Varma (Player of the Match), Abhishek Sharma (Player of the Tournament), and Kuldeep Yadav (Most Valuable Player) collected their personal awards, they did not acknowledge Naqvi. Notably, Naqvi was the only official on stage who did not applaud the Indian winners.

Pakistan Captain Calls India’s Behavior “Bad for Cricket”

Pakistan’s skipper Salman Agha criticized India’s actions, saying:

“What they did today, a good team doesn’t do. Good teams do what we have done. We waited for our medals and took them.”

The incident has fueled debates over whether politics is damaging cricket’s spirit.

ICC Protest and Political Overtones

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced plans to file an official protest against Mohsin Naqvi at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in November 2025.

Meanwhile, both teams faced accusations of politicizing the tournament:

• Indian captain Kuldeep Yadav was accused of making political comments.

• Pakistan players Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf were criticized for political gestures in the second match.

India-Pakistan Relations Remain Strained

The Asia Cup controversy reflects the deep hostility between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors with a long history of political and territorial disputes, particularly over Kashmir.

With sports and politics now colliding on the global stage, the rivalry between the two nations continues to spill beyond the cricket field, leaving questions about the future of Indo-Pak cricketing ties.