India refused to collect the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi for both the men's and women's editions of the tournament.
After thrashing Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Women's Asia Cup final in Dubai last Sunday (September 13), the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side declined to accept the championship trophy and medallions from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's Interior Minister and PCB chief.
This move mirrored the stance taken by the Indian men’s cricket team during the 2025 Men's Asia Cup, where they similarly refused to collect the trophy from Naqvi due to heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and retaliatory Operation Sindoor.
The BCCI had suggested that ACC Vice-President Khalid Al Zarooni or another board representative hand over the trophy. However, Naqvi insisted on presenting it himself, which led to the Indian team skipping the podium ceremony entirely.
The Women's Asia Cup trophy has been taken to the ACC office in Dubai, where it remains locked away alongside the Men's Asia Cup trophy from last year.
Addressing the fiasco, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Friday (September 18) confirmed that the Asia Cup silverwares will arrive in the country soon. However, he refrained from sharing a timeline.
"Asia Cup trophies, we hope it will come one day," Saikia told reporters in Mumbai after the BCCI's 95th Annual General Meeting.
“I will not give you a timeline, but I can assure you that both the trophies will come up and land up in this BCCI head office at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai,” he added.
The Asian Games 2026 will be another crossroads for India in case they win a medal in the cricket event. This might put the BCCI in a problem if the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) officially nominates the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Mohsin Naqvi, to present the medals.
According to OCA laws and top Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sources, if Naqvi is officially handed authority by OCA president Sheik Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Indian players must accept their medals. Refusal to do so will be regarded as disrespecting the Games, the OCA, and its authorized representative, potentially inviting disciplinary action.
Saikia was asked about BCCI’s stance at the medal ceremony, if India wins the gold medal, and whether a repeat of the Asia Cup will happen.
“We are focusing solely on the matches. The teams have to first reach the podium. We will take a call then, taking into account all prevailing factors at that moment. We will cross the bridge only when we reach it. The focus of the board and players is only on winning the matches. We don’t want to comment on anything else that hasn’t happened yet,” Saikia was quoted as saying by TOI.
A day after the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final, BCCI secretary had clarified that it was a "firm institutional decision" not to receive the trophy from Naqvi.
“Our position had been communicated to the ACC in advance that the Indian team would not participate in the trophy presentation under the circumstances. Given the circumstances and the sentiments prevailing in the country, the BCCI felt that it would not be appropriate for the team to receive the trophy in the proposed manner,” Saikia had told PTI.
“This was a firm institutional decision, reflective of the position we have maintained, and was not directed at the players, the tournament or the sport,” he added.