Tensions flared in the glitzy surroundings of the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, as a spectacular victory for the Indian women’s cricket team was overshadowed by a diplomatic cold shoulder that echoed far beyond the boundary ropes. After securing a commanding 72-run win over Sri Lanka to lift their record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title, Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad made a striking statement by declining to accept the championship trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.
As Naqvi exited the presentation dais, the air was filled with rhythmic, stinging chants of “Trophy chor, trophy chor” (Trophy thief) from sections of the crowd. The scene, which captured the global cricket community’s attention, marked a second instance of such friction between Indian officials and the ACC leadership in recent years, turning what should have been a purely sporting celebration into a vivid demonstration of geopolitical strain.
A Recurring Standoff: The Echo of 2025
The chants were not spontaneous; they were a calculated callback to the controversy that erupted following the 2025 men’s Asia Cup final. During that tournament, also hosted in Dubai, India’s triumph over Pakistan was marred by a bizarre post-match delay. Players were kept waiting on the field for over an hour, and in a confusing sequence of events that left fans and officials stunned, the championship trophy appeared to be removed from the presentation area before it could be awarded.
The social media fallout from that incident was immediate, with the label “Trophy chor” becoming a persistent, taunting moniker for Naqvi. When the Indian women’s team similarly chose to bypass the ACC president during Sunday’s ceremony, the stadium’s acoustics amplified the discontent, signaling that the bitterness of the 2025 episode remains a raw nerve.
BCCI Clarifies the Stance: Solidarity and Policy
In the aftermath of the snub, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia provided an official explanation, framing the players’ refusal as an act of solidarity with the men’s team and a direct response to the escalating regional tensions.
“Our men’s team won the Asia Cup a year and a half ago. And our whole situation, since the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, changed after that,” Saikia told IANS. “There was pressure on us from our citizens that we shouldn’t keep any relations with our neighboring country and not play cricket with them. But our government has a policy that we must play against every country in multinational tournaments.”
Saikia emphasized that while the BCCI adheres to government policy regarding participation in international events, they are drawing a firm line on symbolic gestures. “That doesn’t mean we will follow every condition laid out for us. Our military conflict is still ongoing. One of the main leaders who is working against the interests of our country; we can’t receive the trophy from him. The women’s team has expressed solidarity with the decision taken by the men’s team last year.”
Protocol Versus Protest
The optics of the evening were further complicated by the seating arrangements in the Royal Box. Throughout the final, Naqvi was seated alongside high-ranking BCCI officials, including vice-president Rajiv Shukla and Saikia himself. Video footage showing the trio in conversation sparked immediate speculation regarding the nature of their relationship behind the scenes.
Saikia, however, was quick to diffuse talk of a personal rift, clarifying that the interaction was strictly a matter of established event protocol. “It’s not as if we wouldn’t meet anyone,” Saikia explained. “I was sitting outside in the Royal Box seats right from the toss until the end of the game. Everyone who came met me during the match; someone sat next to me, then Shukla came and sat with me. The person you mentioned also came and sat alongside Deputy Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni. That’s just a normal tradition—whenever anyone comes, we meet and talk with everyone.”
A Victory Uncompromised
Despite the underlying diplomatic tension and the failed attempts to bridge the gap prior to the presentation, the BCCI remains steadfast in its defense of the players’ actions. Saikia confirmed that behind-the-scenes negotiations to resolve the presentation impasse occurred, but they ultimately proved fruitless.
When asked if there were regrets regarding the way the ceremony concluded, Saikia dismissed the notion entirely. “We tried to solve today’s situation, but our efforts were not successful. We don’t have any regrets. Our ultimate priority and ambition was not to focus on who would give the trophy. We wanted the Indian team to win, and we’ve achieved that.”
As the Indian side celebrated their latest silverware, the focus remained, at least in their eyes, on their dominance on the field. However, by refusing to engage in the traditional presentation ceremony, the Indian team ensured that this victory would be remembered as much for its political defiance as for the skill shown by Harmanpreet Kaur’s XI. For now, the rift between the BCCI and the ACC leadership remains wide, with the “Trophy chor” chants serving as a loud, persistent reminder that in the world of India-Pakistan cricket relations, the game is rarely ever just about the sport.
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