Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said that India will soon receive both the men’s and women’s Asia Cup trophies, even though neither team has formally collected the silverware after winning their respective tournaments amid an ongoing dispute involving Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the two trophies will eventually reach the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. However, he stopped short of providing a specific timeline for their return.

The issue arose after the Indian men’s team did not accept the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi following their 2025 triumph. A similar situation unfolded after the Indian women’s team defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday.

India yet to receive two Asia Cup trophies

India have won the Asia Cup twice in the last two editions involving the men’s and women’s teams, but the physical trophies have not yet reached the BCCI.

The men’s team won the 2025 Asia Cup after defeating Pakistan in the final. The Indian players did not collect the trophy from Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and heads the ACC.

The situation was repeated during the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs to claim India’s eighth Women’s Asia Cup title. However, the Indian players did not attend the trophy presentation after it became clear that Naqvi would be involved in handing over the trophy.

Saikia said the BCCI’s decision was an institutional one and was not aimed at the players, the tournament or cricket itself.

“Given the circumstances and the sentiments prevailing in the country, the BCCI felt that it would not be appropriate for the team to receive the trophy in the proposed manner,” Saikia told PTI.

He described the decision as a firm institutional position maintained by the board.

Saikia gives assurance on trophies

Following the latest controversy, Saikia has now provided an update on when India could receive the two trophies.

Speaking to Times Now, the BCCI secretary said he could not give an exact date but assured that both trophies would be with the board “very soon”.

Saikia also stressed that the 2025 men’s Asia Cup trophy has been away from the BCCI for more than a year, while the women’s trophy has only recently become part of the dispute.

According to Saikia, both trophies are expected to eventually be placed in the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.

The BCCI secretary also reiterated India’s status as champions, saying the absence of the physical trophies does not change the results of the tournaments.

Women’s team followed the earlier men’s decision

The Women’s Asia Cup incident followed a similar sequence involving India’s men’s team during the 2025 tournament.

The Indian women’s side won the 2026 final convincingly against Sri Lanka. India posted a strong total before restricting Sri Lanka to 111, securing a 72-run victory and another continental title.

Despite the victory, the players did not come out for the formal trophy presentation.

BCCI officials Devajit Saikia and Rajeev Shukla remained involved in the post-match proceedings. Saikia also presented India’s Nandini Sharma with an in-house Best Fielder medal before the players returned to the dressing room.

The ACC’s position on the presentation arrangement resulted in the ceremony proceeding without India’s players receiving the trophy.

BCCI had proposed an alternative arrangement

The trophy dispute had already been discussed between the BCCI and the ACC before the Women’s Asia Cup final.

According to Saikia, the BCCI informed the ACC that India’s women’s team would not participate in the trophy presentation if Naqvi was the person handing over the silverware. The BCCI had suggested an alternative arrangement involving ACC Deputy Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni.

Saikia said the proposal was not accepted by the ACC, leaving the BCCI with the option of staying away from the official presentation.

The development meant India celebrated the tournament victory without collecting the physical trophy on the stage.

Saikia explains meeting with Naqvi

The BCCI secretary has also addressed questions about his interaction with Naqvi during the Women’s Asia Cup final.

Saikia was seen sitting alongside Naqvi and other officials in the VIP area during the match. The interaction attracted attention because of the trophy controversy.

Saikia explained that such meetings were part of the normal interactions among cricket administrators attending international matches. He said officials from different boards and organisations naturally meet during games.

He also stated that the BCCI had attempted to find a solution to the trophy presentation issue but that the efforts did not succeed.

The clarification came amid heightened attention surrounding the relationship between Indian and Pakistani cricket officials.

Wider India-Pakistan sporting tensions

The trophy dispute comes against the backdrop of strained relations between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 and subsequent military tensions.

Saikia has previously said that the BCCI’s decision reflected prevailing sentiments and was not directed at cricket or the tournament itself.

India and Pakistan have continued to meet in international cricket competitions despite the broader tensions between the two countries. The teams have also followed a no-handshake protocol at recent encounters.

The Asia Cup trophy controversy has therefore become a separate issue from the sporting contests themselves, with the BCCI maintaining that participation in a tournament does not necessarily mean accepting every aspect of an official presentation arrangement.

Both trophies expected in Mumbai

For now, the exact date on which the two Asia Cup trophies will reach India remains unclear.

Saikia has, however, given a clear assurance that the BCCI expects to receive both pieces of silverware. He said the board cannot enforce a solution but can suggest one, while maintaining that the trophies will eventually be returned.

The Indian men’s and women’s teams therefore remain the official Asia Cup champions despite not having physically collected the trophies at the respective presentation ceremonies.

The latest development shifts attention from the on-field victories to the eventual return of the silverware. The BCCI is yet to announce a specific date or procedure for bringing the two trophies to its Mumbai headquarters.