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‘We should not play Pakistan’: India's World Cup winner's message after ‘same old' Mohsin Naqvi trophy snub

The Indian women's team refused to accept the Women's T20 Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the ACC chairman. 

Updated on: Sep 14, 2026, 16:15:28 IST
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Not much has changed regarding the Indian team's stance on Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council. On Sunday, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won the Women's Asia Cup but refused to accept the trophy after Naqvi made himself present at the presentation dias. The scenes were the same as last year, when the men's team also refused to take the silverware from Naqvi, who is the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Interior Minister.

The Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. (X)
The Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. (X)

After India won the summit clash at the Dubai International Stadium, the presentation ceremony was delayed by 40 to 45 minutes. When it began, the Indian team was nowhere to be seen, and only the runners-up's cheque was presented by the ACC chairman to the Sri Lanka captain.

Also Read: BCCI explains why India women’s team declined Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi: ‘Solidarity’ with men’s team stance

Deep Dive

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Once Chamari Athapaththu spoke to the broadcasters, the ceremony concluded, and India did not receive the trophy for the second consecutive year. A day after the incident, former India pacer Madan Lal, who was also a part of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad, said that if the same precedent is to be followed by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), then India should stop playing against Pakistan across all competitions.

“Once again same old story. If we are going to behave like this, then we should not play Pakistan any trophies. I know its Board decision,” Lal wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

What happened in the final?

The final between India and Sri Lanka got underway with Harmanpreet Kaur winning the toss and opting to bat. India posted 183/5 in 20 overs after Smriti Mandhana and Shafai Verma played knocks of 59 and 68. For the majority of the contest, Naqvi was nowhere to be seen inside the venue, but as soon as the match was about to get over, the ACC supremo was seen seated behind BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla.

After India secured a 72-run win, the customary handshakes followed between the players from both teams, and the broadcasters interviewed several Indian players, including Harmanpreet Kaur.

When the ceremony was delayed, the BCCI officials were seen handing over the fielding medal to Nandni Sharma, and the presentation ceremony followed. The stage did not have anyone from the Indian camp, as Saikia and Shukla chose to stay out of the limelight.

As of now, it's unclear when India will get the trophy. It is worth noting that the men's team are also yet to get their silverware after refusing to accept the trophy from Naqvi last year at the same venue.

  • Vishesh Roy
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vishesh Roy

    Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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