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In another fresh comment, Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, assured that the due Asia Cup trophies will "come and land up" at the board's head office in Mumbai. Saikia's comments came a few days after the Women's Asia Cup concluded.
Like the 2025 Men's Asia Cup, the women's India national cricket team took over the same approach in this year's women's tournament. Following in the footsteps of the India men's cricket team, the India women's cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, denied the winners' medal and trophy by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the PCB chief and the interior minister of Pakistan.
Indian cricket teams refused to take Asia Cup trophies from Mohsin Naqvi
In both back-to-back Asia Cups, Indian national cricket teams celebrated their moments of joy without the trophies in their hands. It was around one year after the men's 2025 tournament's trophy distribution ceremony when the Indian cricket team, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, was denied the trophy by Naqvi.
Soon after Yadav-led India's stand not receiving the trophy from MohsinNaqvi'ss hand, Naqvi himself left the ground with the trophy. It was reported that he has kept the trophy in his office. After winning another Asia Cup, reporters asked the BCCI secretary about the timeline for receiving the trophy.
Devajit Saikia on receiving the due Asia Cup trophies
Saikia, in his response, emphasized that they are expecting to get both of the men's and women's trophies soon at the BCCI headquarters at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. But he did not provide any specific timeline for when the ACC could send the trophy to the BCCI.
"Asia Cup trophies… we hope it will come one day. I will not give you a timeline, but I can assure you that both the trophies will come up and land in this BCCI head office at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai," Saikia said in Mumbai on Friday after the BCCI's 95th Annual General Meeting.
The timing of Devajit Saikia's comments makes the situation more interesting. Saikia's comments came at a time when Naqvi's term as ACC president is approaching its end. Mohsin Naqvi's tenure as the head of the Asian Cricket Council will come to an end in April 2027.
Devajit Saikia explains why Team India refused to take Asia Cup trophies
Saikia also claimed that BCCI communicated in advance with the ACC about its decision not to participate in the trophy distribution ceremony under the current situation. According to him, there was a firm institutional decision.
"Our position had been communicated to the ACC in advance that the Indian team would not participate in the trophy presentation under the circumstances," Saikia had told PTI.
"Given the circumstances and the sentiments prevailing in the country, the BCCI felt that it would not be appropriate for the team to receive the trophy in the proposed manner. This was a firm institutional decision, reflective of the position we have maintained, and was not directed at the players, the tournament or the sport."
