New Delhi [India], September 15: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday clarified that the Indian women's cricket team's refusal to accept the Women's Asia Cup 2026 trophy from ACC President and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi is a matter that falls under the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) purview.
MEA clarifies BCCI role
Notably, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India were not present on the stage during the post-match presentation ceremony after winning the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final on Sunday, as the team refused to receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi amid tensions over cross-border terrorism and the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
The women’s team’s decision not to receive the trophy from Naqvi mirrors a similar move by India’s men’s side nearly a year ago, following their Men’s Asia Cup triumph in September last year.
Presentation ceremony skipped
On Tuesday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while addressing a biweekly press briefing in the national capital, was asked whether the matter fell under the ministry’s administrative purview. Responding to the query, Jaiswal said, “The matter falls under the BCCI’s purview and comes within its jurisdiction.”
During the post-match presentation ceremony, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu received the runners-up cheque from Naqvi, but Indian players were absent from the stage. There were no visuals of Team India lifting the trophy or celebrating with it, as the broadcast shifted back to the studio after Sri Lanka’s presentation.
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India celebrates title win
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 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.
India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and produced a strong all-round performance in the final, posting 183/5 before restricting Sri Lanka to 111 to lift their eighth Asia Cup title.
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