World · Sri Lanka Bureau
India declines Women's Asia Cup trophy over PCB official row
India's women's cricket team rejected the trophy presentation following their victory in the Women's Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, citing objections to the ceremony's chief dignitary.
LSN Sri Lanka ·

India's women's cricket team declined to accept the Women's Asia Cup trophy immediately after defeating Sri Lanka in the tournament final, marking an unusual diplomatic incident in regional sports.
The team's refusal to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi highlighted escalating tensions between the Indian and Pakistani cricket boards. The precise reasons for India's objection were not immediately detailed, though the gesture reflected broader political and administrative discord between the neighboring cricket nations.
The trophy presentation ceremony was disrupted as a result of India's stance, with the team declining the customary honor that typically concludes major cricket tournaments. Such incidents remain rare in international sports protocols, where receiving trophies by appointed officials is standard procedure.
The Women's Asia Cup remains a significant tournament for South Asian cricket, bringing together teams from across the region. India's victory demonstrated their continued dominance in women's cricket, though the post-match controversy overshadowed the sporting achievement.
The incident underscores the complex relationship between cricket administrations in South Asia, where sporting events occasionally become flashpoints for broader institutional and political disagreements.