‘Sindoor’ Se ‘Tilak’ Tak: The Great Escape of Mohsin Naqvi

The Asia Cup 2025 may have ended with India’s emphatic win, but the real thriller began after the final ball was bowled. When the time came for the grand presentation, the Indian team politely declined to accept the trophy from PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi. Left standing like an uninvited guest at his own wedding, Naqvi decided to pull off his very own T20 stunt—he scooped up the trophy and medals and sprinted back to his hotel as though he had just stolen the last piece of biryani at a banquet.

This was not a mere exit. This was a Great Escape. Harry Houdini, an American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer - may have freed himself from chains, but Naqvi freed himself from embarrassment by carrying the hardware to safer territory—his suitcase. Witnesses swear the trophy is now under tight security in his hotel wardrobe, sharing space with extra suits and a nervous conscience.

Meanwhile, Team India didn’t miss a beat. They celebrated with the only trophy that mattered—1.4 billion voices back home cheering “India India India!” The tricolour became their medal, the streets their podium, and the collective joy of a nation their ultimate prize. After all, why bother about a golden cup when your entire country shines brighter?

And if Pakistan thought its sulk in cricket diplomacy was bad, its humiliation at the UN was an even bigger innings defeat. While Pakistan’s Prime Minister rehearsed his tired victim-card speech, India’s Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar thrashed the propaganda left, right, and center. There was no “no-ball” in sight—every response was a sixer. The PM was left ducking bouncers of truth, while Jaishankar kept sending deliveries straight into the stands of global opinion. By the end, Pakistan wasn’t just bowled out, it was run out, stumped, and caught behind all at once.

The irony is delicious. Pakistan, which has spent decades running international propaganda, now literally ran away with the cup. Perhaps this is their new cricketing strategy: “If you can’t win it, hide it”. One wonders if Naqvi will now inaugurate a private award ceremony in his hotel lobby, distributing medals to the bellboy and housekeeping staff just to feel relevant.

And so, the tale writes itself: India walked away with glory, Pakistan ran away with cutlery. One will live in the hearts of millions, the other in the lost-and-found section of a hotel someday.

Sindoor Se Tilak Tak—India’s victory was painted in sacrifice, pride, and national spirit. And here, Tilak also definitely means Tilak Varma, the ace batsman who ensured Pakistan’s bowlers were treated just like cross-border terrorism—hit hard, dismantled, and sent back in pieces.

(Pavan Kaushik is a renowned Communicator, Storyteller and Author of book – Gazab Zindagi)