India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stirred controversy by connecting India’s Asia Cup cricket victory against Pakistan to the recent military clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Modi’s Statement After Asia Cup Final

After India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter):

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

The post drew immediate attention as Modi referred to Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the deadly May 2025 conflict with Pakistan.

Background: India-Pakistan Clash in May

In May 2025, tensions escalated after an attack killed 22 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of backing the attackers — a charge Islamabad strongly denied.

Modi’s government launched Operation Sindoor, sparking a four-day conflict with heavy missile and drone strikes. Over 70 people were killed, while both sides claimed victory.

Later in June, an Indian naval officer admitted the loss of several fighter jets to Pakistani fire, blaming restrictions placed on Indian forces by New Delhi.

Tensions Spill Over Into Cricket

The political conflict carried over into cricket during the Asia Cup:

• Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in all three matches.

• After winning the Asia Cup final by five wickets, the Indian team declined to collect the trophy from Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister.

• Broadcaster Simon Doull confirmed that the ACC had agreed to India’s decision not to collect the team award.

Individual Awards Accepted

Some Indian players did accept individual honors:

• Tilak Varma – Player of the Match

• Abhishek Sharma – Player of the Tournament

• Kuldeep Yadav – Most Valuable Player

However, all three avoided acknowledging Naqvi on stage, and Naqvi himself was the only official who did not applaud them.

Pakistan’s Response

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

“What they did today, a good team doesn’t do. Good teams wait for their medals, like we did.”

Meanwhile, the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed India would lodge a protest against Naqvi at the ICC meeting in November.

Politics Overshadowing Cricket

This year’s Asia Cup highlighted how politics between India and Pakistan is increasingly spilling into cricket.

• Indian captain Kuldeep Yadav faced criticism for making political remarks after the first match.

• Pakistani players Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf were also accused of political gestures in the second match.

With cricket diplomacy once again under strain, the latest episode has reignited debate on whether the game can remain free from the India-Pakistan rivalry.