Naqvi had no objection to India’s Asia Cup trophy snub, says BCCI

The controversy surrounding the Women’s Asia Cup trophy presentation has intensified after a senior BCCI official said Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had no objection to India’s decision to refuse the trophy from him.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Sunday’s final in Dubai to lift the Women’s Asia Cup. However, the Indian players did not attend the customary trophy presentation with Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla said the decision was taken collectively by the Indian cricket board and that Naqvi did not oppose it.

“We discussed the matter among ourselves and decided that we would not accept it,” Shukla was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India. “It was our collective decision. He also did not raise any objection to it.”

According to Shukla, the Indian team had been informed of the decision beforehand. He added that Naqvi subsequently presented the trophy as required and left the venue.

The episode has nevertheless triggered debate in Indian cricket circles, particularly after Shukla and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia were seen exchanging pleasantries with Naqvi during the final.

Shukla dismissed criticism of the interaction, describing it as part of normal professional conduct at an international sporting event.

“When you are at a match, everyone is present there and interacts in a professional capacity,” he said, arguing that the interaction should not be interpreted as a change in the BCCI’s position.

Saikia had earlier revealed that the BCCI informed the ACC before the final that the Indian team would not participate in the trophy presentation if Naqvi was involved.

The decision follows a broader shift in India-Pakistan cricket relations after the military conflict between the two countries in May 2025. Since then, Indian teams have avoided traditional handshakes with Pakistani players and have taken a harder stance over ceremonial interactions involving Pakistani officials.

A similar controversy erupted during the 2025 Asia Cup, when India declined to shake hands with Pakistan players and later refused to receive the tournament trophy from Naqvi.

The latest incident involving the women’s team has therefore revived questions about the intersection of cricket and politics in India-Pakistan sporting relations.

While India celebrated another major tournament triumph on the field, the trophy ceremony in Dubai became the centre of attention off it—adding another chapter to an increasingly complicated cricketing rivalry.