The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has explained why the Indian women’s cricket team did not accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi following their title triumph in Dubai.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs on Sunday to win the Women’s Asia Cup for a record eighth time. However, the presentation ceremony was delayed by nearly an hour after the Indian team declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief and Pakistan’s interior minister.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the decision was intended to demonstrate solidarity with the Indian men’s team, which had taken a similar position during last year’s Asia Cup.
BCCI Explains Trophy Snub
Saikia said the circumstances surrounding India-Pakistan cricket had changed following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
He said there had been public pressure on the BCCI to avoid sporting ties with Pakistan, although the government’s policy allows India to play against all countries in multinational tournaments.
Saikia said this did not mean the Indian team would necessarily accept every condition associated with such events.
He added that the women’s team’s decision not to receive the trophy from Naqvi was in solidarity with the men’s team’s stance from the previous year.
According to Saikia, the decision did not take away from the women’s team’s achievement, with India winning the tournament in dominant fashion.
Presentation Ceremony Delayed
The presentation ceremony in Dubai was delayed by almost an hour.
Naqvi presented the runners-up cheque to Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu before leaving the stadium. India subsequently conducted its own medal presentation on the sidelines in the presence of BCCI secretary Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla.
Unlike last year, Naqvi did not leave the venue with the Asia Cup trophy.
Saikia Clarifies Meeting With Naqvi
Saikia also addressed visuals showing him speaking with Naqvi in the Royal Box during the match.
He said meeting and speaking with officials during a game was part of normal protocol and should not be interpreted as a contradiction of the BCCI’s position on the trophy presentation.
Saikia said he and other officials had attempted to resolve the situation surrounding the presentation but were unsuccessful.
He maintained that the BCCI’s primary objective was to see the Indian women’s team win the tournament.
India’s Focus Shifts to T20 World Cup
Saikia also highlighted the growth of women’s cricket in India and said the team’s planning was focused on the upcoming 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The latest trophy controversy comes against the backdrop of strained India-Pakistan relations following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.
India’s men’s team had similarly refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi after winning the tournament at the same venue last year.
The women’s team has now followed the same approach, with Saikia describing the decision as an expression of solidarity rather than a reflection on the team’s sporting achievement.
