Following Team India’s refusal to collect the women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar said the team stood by the stand taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Mirroring the ending of men’s Asia Cup last year, Team India did not turn up to receive their winner medals and trophy from Naqvi, who also happens to be the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and the Interior Minister of Pakistan.
As Sri Lanka’s medal ceremony concluded with skipper Chamari Athapaththu collecting a runners-up cheque from Naqvi and giving a post-match interview, the broadcast cut back to the post-match studio show.
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Speaking after the presser, as quoted by Cricinfo, Muzumdar said that Team India being declared as champions on a big board was good enough.
“That stand has been taken by BCCI and we stand by it (Not accepting trophy from Naqvi). For us, this tournament is over, we are the champions. That’s good enough. It was on the big board that India are the champions of Asia Cup 2026. This tournament is officially over for us. We are happy that we are the champions and we look forward to the Asian Games.”
However, before the presentation ceremony started, Team India was in a huddle of their own, with their head coach Amol Muzumdar addressing the team and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajiv Shukla giving the ‘Fielder of the Match’ medal to pacer Nandani Sharma, who took two catches in the match. Saikia spoke to the players and congratulated the team on their win.
When the post-match proceedings started, Sri Lankan players received their runners-up medals from dignitaries (with Naqvi on the stage). The Indian players were nowhere to be seen, and immediately after Athapaththu’s post-match interview, the broadcast shifted to the post-match show in the studio.
Team India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who had earlier given a post-match interview to broadcasters after the win, did not follow Athapaththu for the post-match presentation. There was no footage of India holding the trophy amid some raining confetti or fireworks, a usual sight after every tournament win.
The drama was witnessed last year too after Tilak Varma’s masterclass helped India beat Pakistan in a nail-biting finale in the UAE; the post-match proceedings were delayed for around 90 minutes.
Team India refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi amid tensions caused by cross-border terrorism, that raised massively after Pahalgam attacks that year in April.
After a long delay, the stage was set, but unexpectedly, an official removed the Asia Cup trophy from its place on a raised dais and carried it off the ground with him. Despite their refusal to accept the trophy, Team India still celebrated on the stage, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav mimicking his predecessor, Rohit Sharma’s slow walk after the T20 World Cup final in 2024, and lifting the imaginary trophy alongside his teammates.
Throughout that tournament, Team India players and the skipper did not shake hands with any Pakistan players or skipper during the toss or after the match and victories were dedicated to the Indian Armed personnel who led the ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. India’s trilogy of matches with Pakistan saw the Men in Blue clean sweep their arch-rivals.
To this day, Team India has not received their trophy from the ACC president and it has seeped into the women’s edition of the tournament as well, leading to the question if the women’s trophy will also face the same fate.
India produced a dominant all-round display to clinch the continental title, posting 183/5 before bowling Sri Lanka out for 111 in 20 overs, with a four-fer from Sree Charani (4/20). India’s batting effort was led by openers Shafali Verma (68 in 39 balls, with nine fours and two sixes) and Smriti Mandhana (59 in 39 balls, with five fours and three sixes), who put together a record 129-run partnership for the first wicket.
Source: Khaleej Times