BCCI explains stand as India snub another Asia Cup trophy

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia explained why India did not accept the Women's Asia Cup trophy from ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi after beating Sri Lanka in the final. Saikia said the decision was linked to India's stand on Pakistan and the unresolved issue of the men's Asia Cup trophy.Devajit Saikia explained why India did not receive the Women's Asia Cup trophy. (Courtesy: Reuters/BCCI Women X)The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has explained their stance on the Women’s Asia Cup trophy row. Despite winning the tournament by defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final, the Indian women’s team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi. After controversy erupted once again, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia took it upon himself to explain India's decision on Sunday, September 13.“What happened today after the final is nothing else but a normal thing, keeping in mind the interest of our country and the respect of all our people. A large section of the people do not want India to play with one particular hostile country, but in spite of that, we are always playing. Our only concern is that we cannot receive a trophy from some persons who are not acceptable to us at this stage,” Saikia told Sports Today right after the conclusion of the final. INDIA’S STAND LINKED TO MEN’S ASIA CUP TROPHYSaikia said the BCCI’s position was also influenced by the unresolved issue surrounding the men’s Asia Cup trophy from last year. India won the 2025 Asia Cup, but the trophy has still not been handed over to the BCCI. The BCCI secretary said the board wanted to maintain consistency in its position and did not want the women’s team to do something that could contradict the stand taken in relation to the men’s team.“We are also keeping in mind the respect and solidarity with our men’s Asia Cup team. If you look at our men’s team, which won the Asia Cup about one year ago, the trophy is yet to come to our land. We are still pursuing that trophy. In all my meetings with the people responsible for keeping the trophy, they are not returning it,” Saikia said. “If that is the position, then how can we violate our stand and do something that is in conflict with our original position? The situation has not changed for the last one and a half years, and we hope that good sense will prevail and both trophies will be given to India at the earliest possible time.”BCCI SUGGESTED AN ALTERNATIVEThe Indian players completed their own celebrations on the field after beating Sri Lanka. Head coach Amol Muzumdar addressed the squad before the team held its medal ceremony, with Saikia and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla presenting the fielding medal to Nandani Sharma.Saikia also spent time congratulating the players on their title-winning campaign. Meanwhile, Naqvi was seen interacting with other dignitaries as preparations for the official presentation ceremony continued.According to Saikia, the BCCI had already suggested an alternative arrangement that could have avoided the controversy. He said the board had requested that the deputy chairman of the ACC hand over the trophy to the Indian team.“We can say that the deputy chairman of the ACC can hand over the trophy. That was our request, so that all these controversies can be avoided, because everybody knows what is happening on the ground.”Naqvi eventually took the stage and presented the runners-up cheque to Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu. After Athapaththu spoke to Farvez Maharoof, the ceremony came to an end. The broadcast did not show what happened next, with the live feed ending immediately after Athapaththu spoke to Maharoof.‘WE KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS BORDERS’Soon after the presentation ceremony ended, Naqvi was seen leaving the field alongside other ACC officials. The Indian team, meanwhile, did not receive the trophy from him. Naqvi later left the stadium, but the trophy was not seen alongside him or the officials who accompanied him.Saikia maintained that the BCCI’s decision was not an attempt to create controversy but reflected the circumstances surrounding India’s cricketing relationship with Pakistan.“We know what is happening on the ground and what is happening across the borders. Everything is known to everyone. So we should not pretend that we do not know anything and that everything is hunky-dory. That is not the situation,” Saikia added.The controversy has once again brought the India-Pakistan sporting relationship into focus. While India continues to participate in multinational tournaments involving Pakistan, the BCCI has maintained a firm position on bilateral cricket between the two countries.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 07:51 IST