Source: NDTV Sports

In the world of sport, victories are typically followed by celebrations, handshakes, and the lifting of gleaming silverware. Yet, for India, two recent Asia Cup triumphs have been overshadowed by an extraordinary, politically charged refusal to accept the physical embodiment of their success. In an unprecedented display of principle, both the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams have, within a 12-month span, opted out of collecting their hard-won Asia Cup trophies from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, citing deep-seated geopolitical tensions and what they perceive as his anti-India stance. This recurring drama highlights the complex and often fraught intersection of sport and diplomacy, particularly in the subcontinent.

A Unified Stand: Two Teams, One Message

The first instance of this powerful protest unfolded in 2025, when the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian men’s team, after their Asia Cup victory, declined to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi, who wears multiple hats as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Minister of Interior Affairs in the Pakistan government, was at the heart of the controversy. The men’s team’s refusal stemmed from long-standing geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, compounded by concerns over Naqvi’s alleged anti-India stance. To this day, the physical men’s trophy remains elusive, as reports indicate Naqvi departed the presentation area in Dubai with the silverware, leaving India without the coveted prize.

The controversy reignited just recently, on Sunday, September 13, 2026, when history effectively repeated itself. Harmanpreet Kaur’s triumphant Indian women’s team, fresh off their decisive victory against Sri Lanka, mirrored their male counterparts’ actions. The women’s team similarly refused to collect their awards from Naqvi, thereby reinforcing India’s consistent position on the matter. This dual refusal underscores a clear, unified message from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its national teams.

The Diplomatic Game: BCCI’s Proactive Stance and Rejected Alternatives

What makes this unfolding drama particularly significant is the revelation that the BCCI’s stance was not a spontaneous decision, but a carefully considered and pre-communicated diplomatic move. According to a report by the Indian Express, the BCCI had proactively informed ACC officials that the Indian team would not participate in the trophy presentation if Mohsin Naqvi were to attend the ceremony. This advance warning highlights the BCCI’s commitment to its principles and its attempt to navigate a potentially awkward situation beforehand.

Further illustrating their intent to find an amicable resolution that upheld their principles, the Indian women’s team expressed their readiness to receive the trophy from ACC Deputy Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni. This proposal represented a clear effort by the BCCI to acknowledge the ACC as an organization and the sanctity of the tournament, while sidestepping the contentious issue of Naqvi’s involvement. However, this reasonable alternative was reportedly rejected by Naqvi himself. Faced with this rejection, the BCCI felt it had ‘no other option’ but to withdraw from the official presentation ceremony for the women’s team, as detailed by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

Saikia’s statements shed further light on the BCCI’s steadfast position. He was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, ‘We did not want to be part of the presentation in line with our previous stand from a year and a half ago (men’s Asia Cup). We are yet to receive our men’s Asia Cup. But we want to keep our position intact by giving respect to a lot of our people who have given their lives at the hands of some foreign mercenaries.’ This powerful statement links the refusal directly to a profound sense of national respect and remembrance, elevating the protest beyond mere sporting politics to a matter of deeply held national sentiment. Saikia further elaborated on the rejected proposal, stating, ‘We did request that the deputy chairperson of ACC hand over the trophy but it was not accepted. So we decided that we have no other option but to not be a part of the presentation ceremony.’

The Unseen Trophies: A Matter of Principle Over Possession

Despite the lack of a formal presentation and the current physical absence of the silverware, the BCCI remains optimistic. Devajit Saikia reiterated that the board is hopeful of securing both trophies through official channels at a later stage. He assured the nation, stating, ‘The BCCI congratulates the women’s team for their thumping win in the Asia Cup. The whole country is totally elated and proud of our cricketers. At some stage, we will get both trophies back.’ This sentiment underscores that while the immediate moment of trophy presentation was missed due to principled stands, the intrinsic value of the victories and the eventual possession of the trophies remain paramount to the BCCI.

The fact that the men’s trophy remains uncollected since 2025, with Naqvi reportedly taking it from the Dubai venue, adds a peculiar dimension to this ongoing saga. For the women’s team, the trophy was not even brought out to the podium, circumventing a direct confrontation but not alleviating the underlying diplomatic tension. These actions, or lack thereof, transform the physical trophy from a simple award into a potent symbol of unresolved geopolitical friction.

Broader Implications and Historical Context: Sport as a Diplomatic Battleground

This recurring refusal of Asia Cup trophies casts a long shadow over the future of cricket administration in Asia and, more specifically, the delicate balance of sports and politics between India and Pakistan. The BCCI’s consistent stance sends an unequivocal message: national sentiment and geopolitical realities will not be sidelined, even for the ceremonial traditions of sport. This is not merely about a trophy; it is about acknowledging a deeply sensitive political landscape that frequently impacts bilateral cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.

Historically, India-Pakistan cricket relations have always been intertwined with the broader political climate. From canceled tours to disputes over neutral venues, the cricketing rivalry often serves as a barometer for diplomatic tensions. The current situation, however, introduces a new, highly visible form of protest within a multinational tournament setting. By refusing the trophy from an individual holding significant political office in Pakistan, particularly when that individual is also the ACC chief, the BCCI is effectively challenging the neutrality and conduct of the regional cricketing body’s leadership.

The role of Mohsin Naqvi as both PCB chairman, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, and ACC chief creates an undeniable conflict of interest in this scenario. His dual loyalties, as perceived by the BCCI, have evidently made his role as a neutral presenter untenable for the Indian teams. The rejection of the proposal for the ACC Deputy Chairman, Khalid Al Zarooni, to present the trophy further illustrates the intransigence that led to the impasse, pushing the BCCI into a corner where withdrawal from the ceremony was seen as the only viable option to maintain their integrity and ‘position intact’.

This situation sets a powerful precedent. It signals that sporting bodies, even when hosting multinational tournaments, cannot ignore the political sensitivities of participating nations, especially when the figureheads involved are also political actors. The BCCI, a global powerhouse in cricket, is leveraging its influence to make a strong statement on a global stage, demonstrating that for India, respect for national sentiment and the lives lost to ‘foreign mercenaries’ transcends the immediate gratification of a trophy presentation. The ‘whole country is totally elated and proud of our cricketers,’ as Saikia noted, but that pride is evidently tied not just to their on-field prowess, but also to the perceived integrity of their actions off it.

As the cricketing world watches, the question remains how the ACC and other cricketing bodies will adapt to such robust displays of national sentiment. The trophies may eventually find their way to India, but the symbolic weight of their delayed arrival and the circumstances surrounding their initial refusal will undoubtedly leave a lasting mark on the annals of cricketing history, serving as a potent reminder that for some, sport is never entirely divorced from geopolitics.

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Disclaimer: Source reporting: NDTV Sports. The Cricket Mantra editorial team has added further analysis, context, and background to this coverage.