The Indian women’s cricket team’s decision not to receive the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi has drawn significant attention after their emphatic victory over Sri Lanka in the final. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now explained that the decision was taken in solidarity with the Indian men’s team, which adopted a similar stance during last year’s Asia Cup.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final in Dubai, securing a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title. However, the post-match trophy presentation became the focus of attention after the Indian players did not accept the championship trophy from Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan’s interior minister.
BCCI Explains India Women’s Decision
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the women’s team’s decision reflected the position taken by the men’s team after the 2025 Asia Cup. According to Saikia, the BCCI had maintained that the Indian team would not accept the trophy from Naqvi if he was the official presenting it.
Saikia said the decision was connected to the continuing tensions between India and Pakistan and stressed that the women’s team was showing solidarity with the men’s side.
The BCCI had reportedly communicated its position to the ACC before the final, meaning the decision was not a last-minute reaction during the presentation ceremony.
Trophy Presentation Delayed
The trophy ceremony in Dubai was delayed after the match. Naqvi presented the runners-up cheque to Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, but the Indian players did not come forward to receive the trophy from him.
Instead, BCCI officials, including secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla, were involved in the proceedings around the Indian team’s medal presentation. Naqvi subsequently left the venue.
India head coach Amol Muzumdar also backed the decision, saying the stand was taken by the BCCI and that the team was aligned with it. He emphasised that India’s achievement remained the most important aspect of the tournament.
India Women Celebrate Historic Asia Cup Triumph
Despite the controversy surrounding the presentation, India completed a dominant campaign by beating Sri Lanka in the final. The victory gave the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side its eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.
The latest incident has also revived memories of the 2025 men’s Asia Cup trophy controversy, making the 2026 women’s final another significant chapter in the relationship between cricket and India-Pakistan diplomacy