BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has stated that the 2025 Men’s and 2026 Women’s Asia Cup trophies will eventually be housed at the board’s Mumbai headquarters, following a diplomatic standoff where Indian teams refused to accept the silverware during official ceremonies.
The physical trophies remain in an unresolved status after Indian captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Suryakumar Yadav bypassed official presentations overseen by Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi. The refusal is tied to Naqvi’s concurrent role as a Pakistani government minister, a position the BCCI views as a conflict with sporting protocol under current geopolitical conditions.
Saikia remains certain the honors will reach Wankhede Stadium. “I will not give you a timeline, but I can assure you that both the trophies will come up and land up in this BCCI head office at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai,” Saikia said, addressing the current absence of the titles from the board’s collection.
The boycott of the official ceremonies was an institutional decision communicated to the ACC before the Women’s Asia Cup final on September 13, 2026. This stance follows national sentiment linked to the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military tensions under Operation Sindoor.
During the conclusion of the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai, the Indian team conducted an independent medal ceremony on the field. The players accepted medals from support staff, including coach Munish Bali, while Naqvi departed the stadium without the trophies being presented to the champions.
Saikia noted that the board evaluated the prevailing circumstances before firming its position. “We had taken a conscious decision considering all prevailing aspects, and our position had been communicated to the ACC in advance,” he stated.
Analysis suggests this standoff highlights a protocol shift where the BCCI fulfills multi-national playing commitments while avoiding diplomatic optics involving high-ranking Pakistani officials. This development sets a precedent for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and the 2027 Champions Trophy, as the status of official silverware presentations remains a point of administrative deadlock.
