cricket, once a game of skill and national pride, has become a stage for politics and propaganda. India’s refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy and medals — simply because Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Asian cricket Council, and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, was to present them — has ignited a storm of contradictions.

But just 15 days ago, the same players shook hands, posed for photos, and engaged with Naqvi without issue. The narrative shift, scripted overnight, is not about patriotism or principle—it is about optics, money, and controlled propaganda.

india didn’t just beat pakistan on the field; it played a political theater off it, raising questions about hypocrisy, manipulation, and the commercialization of national sentiment.

1. From Handshakes to Headlines
At the start of the series, players casually shook hands with Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi and even posed for photos. No drama, no outrage, just diplomacy.

2. Overnight Narrative Flip
Suddenly, opposition to the match became the headline. Players were given a “new script,” a choreographed performance to make the country feel india had taken a moral stand.

3. Mohsin Naqvi: From cricket Chairman to Terror Propagandist?
India’s framing painted him as a propagandist for Pakistan. Yet, for weeks, our cricket stars interacted with him without hesitation. The contradiction is glaring.

4. Trophy Refusal: Patriotism or PR?
Refusing medals and the trophy appears noble, but the timing reveals it as a controlled spectacle—a way to stoke nationalist sentiment while masking the earlier interactions.

5. politics Over Players, Money Over Principle
The Asia Cup series is a cash cow. Broadcast rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales dictate decisions. The drama around Naqvi is less about honor, more about optics to protect profits and political narratives.

6. The Double Standard Is Obvious
When Naqvi is present, india must theatrically protest. When photos are taken days earlier, it’s business as usual. This inconsistency shows how easily cricket can be turned into propaganda theatre.

7. Stop the Drama
Fans and citizens are tired. cricket is being hijacked for scripts, narratives, and headlines. National pride should not be scripted, nor should players be forced to perform political theater.

Bottom Line

The Asia Cup 2025 should have been about cricket and sportsmanship. Instead, it became a playground for optics, propaganda, and hypocrisy. india beat pakistan on the field, yes—but off it, the real game was scriptwriting, PR, and controlled outrage.