'Are they living in the past?': Ex-India cricketer slams Mohsin Naqvi
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PRANAV SHUKLA
The Indian cricket teams have refused to accept Asia Cup trophies from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, citing solidarity with terror attack victims. The BCCI has questioned the ACC's recent changes to presentation protocols, while cricket legend Kapil Dev has dismissed the controversy.
The Asia Cup Protocol Impasse: A Diplomatic and Sporting Conflict
The landscape of continental cricket has been overshadowed by a deepening diplomatic impasse between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The controversy centers on the trophy presentation ceremony, where Indian teams—both men and women—have repeatedly refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi. This act of protest, which has now occurred in consecutive years in Dubai, highlights the friction between geopolitical tensions and sporting administration.
The Roots of the Protest
The origins of this stand can be traced back to the men's team's refusal to take the podium last year. This action was taken in solidarity with the victims of the Pakistan-linked Pahalgam terror attack. The Indian players further solidified this stance by refusing to engage in customary handshakes with their Pakistan counterparts during Asia Cup meetings, a policy that has extended into subsequent ICC-sanctioned tournaments. The women’s team, following their 2026 Asia Cup victory, adopted the same position, signaling a unified organizational stance.
BCCI and ACC Tensions
BCCI representative Devajit Saikia has publicly questioned the ACC’s recent, "drastic" changes to the trophy presentation norms. The board had reportedly requested an alternative method for the handover, which was seemingly ignored or altered by the ACC. This dispute over protocol suggests a breakdown in communication between the continental governing body and its most influential member, the BCCI, as India continues to assert its position regarding the leadership of the ACC.
Perspectives from Cricket Royalty
Adding another layer to the discourse, 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev offered a dismissive take on the controversy. During the inauguration of the Nava Raipur Open 2026, when pressed for his opinion on the women’s team's refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi, Dev famously remarked, "Tell all of them to play golf." His response underscores a segment of the cricketing fraternity that prefers to distance athletic achievement from the increasingly complex political theater surrounding the sport.
A Recurring Rivalry Amidst Controversy
While the administrative conflict dominates headlines, the sporting reality remains focused on the field. The Women’s Asia Cup has seen a resurgence of the India-Sri Lanka rivalry. After a long hiatus of title clashes between the two, they have met in three successive finals since 2022. Sri Lanka’s stunning victory in Dambulla in 2024 served as a major turning point, and India’s subsequent victory in the 2026 edition in Dubai has kept the competition fierce, even as the post-match ceremonies remain marred by the ongoing diplomatic dispute.
Future Implications
The refusal of the Indian teams to engage in traditional trophy ceremonies with the current ACC leadership represents a significant challenge to the status quo of Asian cricket. As the BCCI continues to question the ACC’s governance and protocol changes, the future of these ceremonies remains uncertain. The persistence of this impasse suggests that until the underlying geopolitical tensions are addressed, the Asia Cup will likely continue to be defined as much by these symbolic protests as by the cricket played on the pitch.
Multiple Citing Sources