India Refuse Asia Cup Trophy Once Again as BCCI Breaks Silence on Latest Controversy

The BCCI has explained why the Indian women’s team did not collect the Asia Cup trophy after beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final.

India secured the title with a commanding performance, but the celebrations were overshadowed by the trophy presentation. The Indian players did not receive the silverware from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, triggering another controversy around India-Pakistan cricket relations.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia defended the decision after the final on Sunday, September 13, saying it was consistent with the board’s current position.

BCCI: ‘WE CANNOT RECEIVE THE TROPHY FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE’

Saikia said the decision was taken keeping the interests and sentiments of Indian citizens in mind. He acknowledged that India continues to play Pakistan in multinational competitions despite opposition from a section of the public, but insisted that accepting a trophy from certain individuals was a separate matter.

He made it clear that the BCCI did not consider receiving the trophy from Naqvi appropriate under the present circumstances. The decision, according to Saikia, was therefore not a spontaneous move by the players but reflected the board’s broader position.

MEN’S ASIA CUP TROPHY STILL UNRESOLVED

The BCCI secretary also pointed to the controversy surrounding the men’s Asia Cup trophy as an important factor. India won the men’s Asia Cup in 2025, but the trophy has yet to reach the BCCI. Saikia said the board continues to pursue the matter with the concerned officials.

He argued that the women’s team accepting the trophy from Naqvi would have been inconsistent with the position India has maintained over the men’s trophy. Saikia said the BCCI wanted to show “respect and solidarity” with the men’s team and hoped that both trophies would eventually be handed over to India.

BCCI OFFERED A WAY OUT

According to Saikia, the BCCI had proposed an alternative to avoid a potentially contentious trophy ceremony. The board suggested that the ACC deputy chairman should present the trophy to the Indian players instead of Naqvi.

Saikia said the proposal was made because everyone was aware of the circumstances surrounding the relationship between India and Pakistan.

However, the suggested arrangement was not accepted.

Naqvi later appeared during the ceremony and presented Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu with the runners-up cheque. The official broadcast ended soon after Athapaththu spoke with Farvez Maharoof, leaving the remainder of the proceedings unclear.

INDIA CELEBRATE TITLE WITHOUT OFFICIAL TROPHY HANDOVER

The Indian team still celebrated its impressive title triumph on the field.

Head coach Amol Muzumdar addressed the squad before the medal ceremony, while Saikia and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla were also present. Saikia congratulated the players, and Nandani Sharma received the fielding medal.

However, the Indian team did not receive the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi.

INDIA-PAKISTAN CRICKET RELATIONS IN FOCUS AGAIN

Saikia maintained that the BCCI was not deliberately trying to create another controversy. Instead, he said the decision reflected the reality of relations between India and Pakistan. He argued that the board could not ignore developments taking place across the border and then behave as if everything between the two countries was normal.

India continues to face Pakistan in multinational tournaments, but the BCCI remains opposed to bilateral cricket between the two sides. The latest Asia Cup trophy episode has once again highlighted the difficult intersection of cricket, diplomacy and India-Pakistan relations.