After a fiery match with Pakistan, the Indian team were crowned the champions of the Asia Cup, winning by five wickets. They were crowned in the trophy ceremony under the warm Dubai sky by Mohsin Naqvi, a PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) chairman… but that’s not what happened that night. The Indian team stubbornly refused to arrive due to the fact that they were to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, an individual who has openly made many anti-India statements recently. The Asia Cup Final is an example for all St. Mary’s students on sportsmanship and character.
On the topic of the match itself, Pakistan had an extremely strong start, creating almost 90 runs by the tenth over, having an astounding run rate of 8 runs per over with only one wicket! However, after the thirteenth over, wickets began dropping like flies, with the score going from 113-2 to 146-10 in just five overs. When it came to India’s turn, Pakistan again had a very strong start, dropping three wickets in the first few overs, demolishing India’s top order. However, India’s saving grace Tilak Varma was able to get India to catch up soon enough, getting them to clinch the win.
Throughout the match, the Pakistani cricket team made many gestures referring to the Pakistan-India conflict that had occurred in May, such as IAF planes being shot down. However it would be unfair to not mention that in previous matches India had harshly refused to shake hands with their opponents. These actions that lacked of sportsmanship and integrity created an unfavourable atmosphere behind the backdrop of immense political tensions between the two teams. Even during previous conflicts such as the 2019 and 1999 India-Pakistan conflict, both parties displayed integrity and upstandingness to each other.
In the end, Mohsin Naqwi walked away with all awards due to the Indian team’s inability to accept trophies from an apologist of a “terrorist country,” though they have no proof for that statement. Pakistan captain Salman Agha retaliated by throwing away the runner-up cheque he received for the Asia Cup. Cricket fans from both countries have berated each other for their actions and many people have began to wonder whether this is the end of the reputation of cricket being the “gentleman’s game”.
