India finally got their hands on a winning trophy on Tuesday (October 14). When you read a line like this, it generally means that the team has won after a long time, but that was not the case with the Indian men’s cricket team.
They won every match of their last white-ball assignment to become the unbeaten champions of the Asia Cup 2025, which marked their record ninth title in the tournament but they did not get the winning trophy in the ceremony. In fact, more than a fortnight since beating Pakistan in the final, India still await the Asia Cup trophy.
That’s why when BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla presented the winning trophy, albeit a different one, to India captain Shubman Gill for beating West Indies 2-0 in a home Test series, it was a welcome moment for the BCCI and the Indian team management. The board left no stone unturned to showcase it to the world.
BCCI’s official X handle shared a 108-second video of Gill receiving the trophy from Shukla and celebrating with his teammates. The last time, India’s Asia Cup-winning team had to be content with an imaginary trophy celebration at the victory ceremony.
Would BCCI have done that with a bilateral if it wasn’t for the Asia Cup fiasco? Maybe, maybe not.
Why didn’t India get the Asia Cup trophy despite winning the tournament?
Indo-Pak hostilities overshadowed the entire Asia Cup. Throughout the tournament, the Indians refused to shake hands with their arch foes, and players from both sides mocked each other with politically charged gestures.
ACC and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi also made political statements on his social media pages. As a mark of protest, the Indian team decided not to take the trophy. Naqvi, who is also a minister in the current Pakistan government. Naqvi did not back off. He instead decided to walk away with the trophy without presenting it to India.
The BCCI strongly opposed his walkaway with the trophy and vowed to raise the matter in an ICC meeting next month. It is widely speculated that a strong move to get Naqvi censured and even removed as Director of the ICC could be made.
India beat West Indies by 7 wickets to win the series 2-0
India completed a 2-0 series sweep over the West Indies with a seven-wicket win in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Resuming Day 5 at 63-1, India chased down the remaining 58 runs with ease, reaching 124-3 in 35.2 overs. KL Rahul anchored the innings with an unbeaten 58, while Sai Sudharsan contributed 39. Roston Chase took two wickets on the final day.
Earlier, India had declared at 518-5 in the first innings, powered by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 175 and Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 129. In response, West Indies managed 248 and were forced to follow on. Shai Hope (123) and John Campbell (115) led a strong resistance in the second innings, helping West Indies post 390. Kuldeep Yadav took eight wickets in the match and was named Player of the Match. This marked India’s 27th consecutive unbeaten Test against West Indies, and Gill’s first series win as captain.