Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chief Mohsin Naqvi has sharply criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “dragging war into sport,” saying such remarks undermine the true spirit of the game. Responding to Modi’s tweet after India’s win over Pakistan in Sunday’s Asia Cup 2025 final, Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, highlighted India’s historical defeats at Pakistan’s hands and warned that politicising sport reflects desperation, not pride. “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands. No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the spirit of the game,” Naqvi wrote on X. The tweet came after Modi equated India’s cricket victory to “Operation Sindoor,” drawing widespread condemnation for militarising a sporting event. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also joined the criticism, saying Modi was damaging the culture and spirit of cricket for political gain and undermining prospects for peace and conflict resolution in the subcontinent. “Modi is destroying the possibilities of peace in the region to save his politics by undermining cricket’s spirit. Honour cannot be regained this way. The Pak-India war score, 6-0, is engraved in history. Modi has been humiliated at home and globally,” Asif wrote on X. The Indian premier faced backlash not only from Pakistani leaders but also from his own citizens. Social media users and commentators quickly condemned the comparison, warning that equating a cricket match with a military operation risks politicising sport. One journalist wrote on X: “A prime minister declaring a cricket match equal to war. Just because India lost the war to Pakistan, they need anything—just anything—to compensate for that loss.” Another user commented: “Equating a cricket win with #OperationSindoor, where our soldiers laid down their lives, is deeply disrespectful,” taking a direct jab at Modi’s tweet. Asia Cup trophy debacle Earlier, the closing ceremony of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 ended in controversy on Sunday after the Indian cricket team declined to collect the winners’ trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). India had earlier defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a tense final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, However, the post-match presentation was delayed after the Indian side refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, damaging the gentleman’s game. The ceremony concluded without the traditional handover, marking an unusual end to the tournament. No customary handshakes were exchanged between players, continuing a pattern from earlier matches where political undercurrents and heightened tensions were evident. “I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation,” says presenter Simon Doull. Pakistan skipper Salman Agha said India’s actions during the tournament had been “bad for cricket”. “I think what has happened in this tournament is very disappointing,” Agha told reporters. “If they think they disrespected us by not shaking hands, then I say they disrespected cricket. “It’s been seen for the first time. I do not know where it will stop. What has happened in this tournament is bad for cricket.” Agha further said that the team would donate their Asia Cup final match fees to families of civilians and children killed in the May Indian attacks. The Asia Cup marked the first cricketing contest between the two sides since their military confrontation in May, with off-field politics repeatedly overshadowing on-field competition.
Mohsin Naqvi slams PM Modi for mixing war with cricket
