“Decision on trophy was BCCI directive”: Deepti Sharma’s brother on India’s Asia Cup stance

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 14 (ANI): Deepti Sharma’s brother, Sumit Sharma, on Monday said the Indian women’s cricket team’s decision not to accept the Women’s T20 Asia Cup trophy from ACC President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi was in line with the directives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), while also citing strained relations between the two countries.
Speaking to ANI, Sumit said the decision was taken in the backdrop of the long-standing issues between India and Pakistan and that the players follow the BCCI’s instructions.
“First of all, a huge congratulations to the team on the victory. Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to accept the trophy is a directive from the BCCI. Whether it is the men's team or the women's team, they follow the BCCI's instructions,” Sumit Sharma said.
“Given that our relations with Pakistan have not been good for a long time, accepting the trophy didn't seem appropriate—especially since we do not play bilateral series with them and there are no mutual series taking place. Pakistan is seen playing against us in an ICC event,” he added.
Sumit further said the entire team follows the board’s decisions and the trophy presentation controversy was a reflection of the current relations between the two nations.
“The entire team must follow the BCCI's directives, and what we are witnessing is a result of these strained relations,” he said.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side were not present on the stage during the presentation ceremony after winning the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 final against Sri Lanka. The team did not accept the trophy from Naqvi amid tensions over cross-border terrorism and the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
Meanwhile, Radha Yadav’s brother Rahul Yadav congratulated the Indian team for their Asia Cup triumph and praised the collective performance of the players.
“It feels wonderful, and I am overjoyed. All the women are performing exceptionally well, and winning the Asia Cup is a fantastic achievement. Seeing the way they are performing and progressing fills my heart with immense satisfaction. May they continue to move forward like this. All the best for the Asian Games,” Rahul told ANI.
Praising the performances of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, Rahul said the team’s combined effort was the key to their success.
“Shafali Verma's performance was excellent, as was Smriti Mandhana's. The others performed very well too. It was truly heartening to see; they all put up a great collective performance. All the best to all the women for the future—may they continue to excel and bring glory to the country,” he added.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to clinch their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. (ANI)