The Indian women's cricket team declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, according to ThePrint. The refusal drew praise from Pakistanis, ThePrint reported, with many saying "well done" to the Indian players.
The decision was described as institutional rather than personal. Devajit Saikia, a Board of Control for Cricket in India official, said it was an institutional decision not to receive the trophy, according to Cricbuzz. Rajeev Shukla of the BCCI said Naqvi raised no objection to what The Hindu reported was a "collective decision."
The episode drew reactions beyond the two boards. The Times of India reported that a World Cup-winning player responded by saying India should not play Pakistan at all. Rediff.com reported criticism aimed at the BCCI, with one headline saying the board "loves to fool Indian fans."
The trophy presentation followed an Asia Cup final between the two sides. ThePrint's report focused on the reaction in Pakistan, where the Indian team's stance was widely approved.
What to watch next is whether the BCCI or the PCB issues a formal statement clarifying the arrangement for future trophy presentations between the two teams.
