Pakistan made it to the Asia Cup 2025 final but could not prevent India from claiming a record ninth title. While India ruled the big stage, Pakistan's performance in the tournament was anything but convincing. Wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were because of substandard opposition cricket and a couple of individual performances as opposed to solid team play. PCB's Off-Field Controversies Apart from ordinary cricket, unnecessary off-field controversy was added by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). There was tension when India refused to handshakes with Pakistan players following their Super Four match. The PCB later lodged a complaint against match referee Andy Pycroft, and along with him, they charged Suryakumar Yadav for unsportsmanlike remarks and was met with international shame when PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi reportedly ran away with the Asia Cup trophy after India declined to receive it from him. Reports also suggested Naqvi got players involved in his politics ahead of the India-Pakistan Super Four game, requesting them to make provocative gestures. Haris Rauf obeyed the instruction, was issued an ICC fine, and then cracked under pressure in the final. His poor bowling came at a cost, and he now stands to be replaced from Pakistan's side for the upcoming series against South Africa. Also Read | Glenn Maxwell Ruled Out of NZ T20I Series with Wrist Injury Saeed Ajmal's Old Claim Goes Viral Very soon after the Pakistan loss, an old clip of a veteran spinner Saeed Ajmal surfaced in which he alleged that the government had betrayed the 2009 T20 World Cup-winning squad. Ajmal remembered how then Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani assured players Rs 25 lakh per player but never did so. Ajmal made public on Nadir Ali's show: "I was shocked that even a government cheque could bounce. We were told the PCB chief would handle it, but he refused, saying it was the government's promise. In the end, the only money we got was from the ICC." The comparison with India is stark. Upon victory in the Asia Cup 2025, the BCCI announced a Rs 21 crore reward for team India, following a tradition of appreciating and rewarding the players' magnificent efforts. Pakistan, meanwhile, continues to allow cricket to be overshadowed by politics and incompetent administration, leaving the players frustrated and unrewarded.