The Asia Cup trophy controversy took another turn after it emerged that the BCCI had informed Asian Cricket Council officials in advance that the Indian team would not accept the silverware if ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi was present at the presentation ceremony.
India’s women’s team defeated Sri Lanka to win the Asia Cup, but the players did not collect the trophy from Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s Interior Minister. The development echoed what happened with India’s men’s team in the previous edition, when Suryakumar Yadav and his players also declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi amid geopolitical tensions.
According to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, the Indian women’s team was willing to participate in the presentation if the trophy was handed over by ACC deputy chairman Khalid Al Zarooni instead. Naqvi, however, rejected that proposal, leaving the BCCI with the option of withdrawing from the ceremony.
The trophy itself was not brought out to the podium, meaning India celebrated the title without receiving the physical silverware. The men’s Asia Cup trophy from the previous edition also remains with the ACC, after Naqvi left the presentation area with it following the final in Dubai.
Saikia said the BCCI would maintain its position while pursuing the trophies through official channels.
“We did not want to be part of the presentation in line with our previous stand from a year and a half ago,” Saikia said, while explaining that the board had requested Al Zarooni to hand over the trophy.
The BCCI secretary also insisted that the trophies would eventually reach India.
“At some stage, we will get both trophies back,” Saikia said, while congratulating the women’s team on its Asia Cup triumph.
The episode means India’s two most recent Asia Cup triumphs have been followed by unusual trophy presentations, with the dispute now extending beyond the men’s tournament and into the women’s competition.
