BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla confirmed that the Indian women's cricket team's refusal to receive the Asia Cup trophy from ACC chairperson Mohsin Naqvi was a planned, collective decision that drew no objections from Naqvi.
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla stated on Monday that the Indian women's cricket team's refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairperson Mohsin Naqvi was a "collective decision" made by the board, adding that Naqvi raised no objections.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final on September 13 in Dubai, but declined to take the trophy from Naqvi, continuing a precedent set by the men's team during the 2025 Asia Cup following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
"We discussed the matter among ourselves and decided that we would not accept it (trophy) from him. It was our collective decision. He (Naqvi) also did not raise any objection to it," Shukla told reporters after arriving at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. "We informed our team accordingly, and he presented it to whoever he had to and then left."
Shukla's remarks aligned with earlier comments from BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who noted that the position had been communicated to the ACC in advance considering all prevailing aspects.
Addressing criticisms over images showing Saikia speaking with Naqvi during the final, Shukla defended the exchange as a routine professional interaction. "When you are at a match, everyone is present there and interacts in a professional capacity. Therefore, I do not think there should be so much criticism over that," he said.
Shukla also commended the team for their victory and expressed optimism for their next assignment at the Asian Games in Japan, stating, "Our women have once again made us proud and we will continue to win in the future. The team is now heading to Japan and we are fully confident that we will secure a victory there as well."
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.