Raipur: Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev had a brief response when asked about the Indian women’s cricket team’s decision not to receive the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi.
“Tell all of them to play golf,” Kapil said when asked about the controversy surrounding the trophy presentation. His comments came during the inauguration of the Nava Raipur Open 2026 golf tournament, where he was present in his role as president of the Professional Golf Tour of India.
The Indian women’s team’s decision has attracted attention because it followed a similar episode involving the Indian men’s team during the 2025 Asia Cup.
India decline trophy from Mohsin Naqvi
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final in Dubai to claim a record eighth title in the tournament. However, Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates did not attend the trophy presentation to receive the title from Naqvi.
Naqvi is the president of the ACC and also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The decision was similar to what happened after India won the men’s Asia Cup in 2025. The Indian men’s team had also declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi following its victory.
The latest incident has therefore renewed discussion around the relationship between cricketing engagements involving India and Pakistan.
Kapil Dev keeps his response brief
Kapil Dev was asked about the Indian women’s team’s decision while attending the golf tournament in Raipur.
Instead of offering a detailed comment on the trophy controversy, the former India captain replied: “Tell all of them to play golf.”
Kapil has been closely associated with golf after his international cricket career and currently serves as president of the Professional Golf Tour of India. His remarks came while he was attending an event connected with the sport.
The comment was notably brief, with Kapil not elaborating on the reasons behind the Indian team’s decision.
BCCI says decision was taken after discussion
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the decision not to accept the trophy from Naqvi was taken after discussions within the board.
According to Shukla, the matter was discussed and the team was informed of the decision. He also said Naqvi did not object to India’s position during the presentation.
“We discussed the trophy issue and decided not to take it from him,” Shukla told reporters, adding that there was no quarrel, fight or clash during the process.
Shukla also said that interactions between officials at cricket matches should not necessarily be interpreted as anything beyond professional engagement. His comments came after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had also been seen interacting with Naqvi during the Asia Cup final.
The BCCI had previously communicated its position to the ACC regarding the trophy presentation. A separate report said the board had proposed that an ACC deputy chairman hand over the trophy instead, but that proposal was not accepted.
Women’s Asia Cup triumph remains the focus
Despite the controversy surrounding the presentation ceremony, India’s victory over Sri Lanka marked another significant achievement for the women’s team.
India secured their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title after producing a dominant performance in the final. The 72-run victory underlined their success in the tournament and added another title to the team’s record in the competition.
The trophy presentation became a separate talking point because the team did not take part in the ceremony involving Naqvi.
India’s head coach Amol Muzumdar had earlier described the decision as the BCCI’s stand, while Rajeev Shukla subsequently said it was a collective decision after discussions within the board.
A repeat of the 2025 Asia Cup episode
The latest incident has drawn comparisons with the 2025 men’s Asia Cup. After India’s victory in that tournament, the team did not receive the trophy from Naqvi.
That episode also resulted in an unusual presentation ceremony, with the proceedings ending without the Indian team collecting the winners’ trophy from the ACC chief.
The 2026 women’s tournament has now produced a similar situation, making the trophy presentation an issue of discussion beyond the cricket played on the field.
For Kapil Dev, however, the response to the question was limited to a single line about golf as he attended a golf event in Raipur.