India clinched their ninth Asia Cup on Sunday night by beating Pakistan by five wickets at the Dubai International Stadium. This was the third time India had beaten their arch-rivals in the tournament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to India's victory, associating it with the triumph in Operation Sindoor, earlier this year.
"#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers," the Prime Minister wrote on X.
#OperationSindoor on the games field.
September 28, 2025
Outcome is the same - India wins!
Congrats to our cricketers.The Prime Minister's tone was echoed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, as he also compared the victory to Operation Sindoor.
#OperationSindoor in sports too 🇮🇳
September 28, 2025
India defeats Pakistan !
Congratulations Team India on the massive and historic win !#AsiaCup2025The India-Pakistan matches at the Asia Cup 2025 had been a subject of much discussion throughout the tournament, particularly due to the tension that had flared between the two countries.
Operation Sindoor was a terror offensive carried out by the Indian army in early 2025, along the western border. The operation was declared a resounding success after the Army neutralised multiple terror hideouts in Pakistan, in what was a direct response to the terror attacks in Pahalgam.
In light of the conflict, there was much controversy surrounding India's first two matches against Pakistan, starting with a handshake incident in which Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart, leading to protests from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and even International Cricket Council (ICC) intervention.
The tension was further fueled by controversial gestures from Pakistani cricketers. All of this added to the tension leading up to the final in Dubai.
Even after India's win in the final, the players refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is the chairman of both the Asian Cricket Council and the PCB. He also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister.
The Indian stayed away from the stage, stating that they wouldn't participate if Naqvi was presenting the awards, leading to a delay in the ceremony.
India ended up not accepting the trophy, which was reportedly whisked away without a formal presentation.
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