‘Both trophies will come’: BCCI’s big update on Asia Cup trophies India refused to take from Naqvi | Cricket News
The Asia Cup trophies won by India’s men’s and women’s teams remain in Dubai, but BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has assured that both pieces of silverware will eventually make their way to the board’s headquarters in Mumbai.Saikia confirmed the development after the BCCI’s 95th Annual General Meeting in Mumbai on Friday, although he stopped short of specifying when the trophies would arrive. The men’s and women’s teams had both declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, leaving the silverware at the ACC headquarters in Dubai.“Asia Cup trophies, we hope it will come one day,” Saikia said in Mumbai on Friday 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 latest development follows India’s women’s team refusing to attend the trophy presentation after beating Sri Lanka in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final last week. Harmanpreet Kaur‘s side did not appear at the presentation ceremony with Naqvi on the dais, while a similar situation had unfolded after India’s men’s team won the Asia Cup last year.The women’s team instead conducted its own medal presentation after the final, with BCCI secretary Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla presenting Nandni Sharma with the fielding medal. The official ceremony later saw Naqvi present the runners-up cheque to Sri Lanka.Saikia had already made the BCCI’s position clear a day after the women’s final, describing the decision not to accept the trophy from Naqvi as a “firm institutional decision”.“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 told news agency 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.The issue could have implications beyond the Asia Cup, with India and Pakistan both competing at the Asian Games in Japan. The Asian Games cricket tournament is being conducted under the ACC, while both Indian teams are among the contenders for gold. The possibility of Naqvi being involved in a medal presentation could therefore become another point of attention.Saikia’s latest comments also come with Naqvi’s current term as ACC president approaching its scheduled conclusion in April 2027. Whether he receives an extension will depend on the support of ACC members.The strained cricketing relationship between India and Pakistan has remained evident since the Pahalgam terror attack, with players from the two teams having refused to shake hands with each other in subsequent encounters.
