Tilak Varma’s post-match celebration became one of the most talked-about moments after India clinched the Asia Cup 2025 title with a thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 28.
Moments after sealing the hard-fought victory, Varma saluted the crowd and formed a ‘V’ symbol with his fingers — a gesture fans quickly began decoding. While the ‘V’ traditionally stands for “victory,” social media users drew a deeper connection, suggesting it referenced the symbolic ’11-0′ scoreline in the context of Operation Sindoor, where 11 Pakistani air bases were reportedly targeted.
### Fans Decode Tilak Varma’s ‘V’ Sign Celebration
The gesture sparked widespread discussion among fans, who interpreted the ‘V’ sign as more than just a symbol of triumph, linking it to the recent military operation. This post-match celebration added an extra layer of intrigue to an already historic win for India.
### Suryakumar Yadav Lashes Out at ACC for Denying Trophy
Having defeated Pakistan for the third time in just two weeks to win the Asia Cup, Suryakumar Yadav and the Indian team notably refused to accept the trophy from the Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chief and the country’s ‘Interior Minister,’ is known for his vocal anti-India stance.
As a result, the presentation ceremony concluded with Naqvi leaving the dais and taking the trophy with him on Sunday night, without handing it over to the champions.
Lashing out at the ACC, Yadav said, “I think this is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing and following cricket — that a champion team is denied a trophy. I mean that too a hard-earned one. It’s not like it happened easily. It was a hard-earned tournament win.”
Despite the controversy, the Indian captain tried to imitate Rohit Sharma’s iconic walk from the T20 World Cup 2024 final. The Indian players then performed a shadow-lift of the trophy following the presentation ceremony of the Asia Cup 2025 final, symbolizing their triumph in a dignified manner.
### Tilak Varma’s Match-Winning Knock
Earlier in the match, Tilak Varma starred with the bat for the Men in Blue, anchoring the chase with a composed 69* off 53 balls. His innings included three fours and four sixes, the most crucial of which came in the final over against Haris Rauf.
With India needing eight runs off the last six balls, Varma launched Rauf’s delivery over the ropes to bring the equation down to two runs off four balls.
Rinku Singh, who was facing his first delivery of the match — and of the tournament — then struck a six, sealing the victory with two balls remaining, sparking jubilant celebrations among players and fans alike.
### Key Contributions from Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav
Shivam Dube also played a vital role in the successful chase, scoring a brisk 33 runs off 22 balls. Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav’s brilliance with the ball had put India firmly in control during Pakistan’s innings, setting the stage for a memorable win.
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India’s thrilling victory in the Asia Cup 2025 will be remembered not just for the cricketing excellence displayed, but also for the passionate celebrations, meaningful gestures, and the spirited response to off-field controversies.
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