Cricket: Indian women’s team refuses to accept Asia Cup trophy from Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi

The Indian women’s cricket team on Sunday refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister and chief of the country’s cricket board, Cricinfo reported.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Dubai to win the women’s Asia Cup for the eighth time.

The ceremony was delayed for nearly 50 minutes, Cricinfo reported. The Sri Lankan squad received their runners-up cheque from Naqvi, before getting their medals from the Sri Lankan board’s interim chief Eran Wikramaratne

Indian coach Amol Muzumdar said at the press conference that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had taken the decision not to accept the trophy from Naqvi, and that the squad stands by it.

“For us, this tournament is over, we are the champions...that’s good for us,” he told reporters. “It was on the big board that India are the champions of Asia Cup 2026. This tournament is officially over for us. We’re happy that we’re the champions and we look forward to the Asian Games.”

The BCCI had informed the Asian Cricket Council in advance that the Indian team will not accept the trophy from Naqvi, The Indian Express quoted an unidentified official as saying.

A similar incident occurred in September 2025 when the Indian men’s team refused to accept the...

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