Coming up, Women's Asia Cup and BCCI's Naqvi problem

NEW DELHI: The Women's Asia Cup in Dubai next week could create an awkward presentation scenario for the BCCI if India go all the way to the final as Pakistan's Mohsin Naqvi, in his capacity as the Asian Cricket Council chief, might.

Key points

• Naqvi additionally heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and is his country's Interior Minister.
• The women's continental tournament will be held from August 28 to September 13.
• But unlike the men's Asia Cup, the women's tournament does not offer the prospect of multiple India-Pakistan meetings before the final.
• The obvious question now is: what happens if Harmanpreet Kaur's team wins the women's Asia Cup and Naqvi is on the presentation dais?
• But if Harmanpreet's team does lift the trophy, the identity of the official handing it over could become an intriguing subplot to the Women's Asia Cup.

In practice, the Indian men's team had refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi last year owing to the Pahalgam terror attack and the ensuing military showdown between the two countries.

Naqvi walked away with the trophy which has still not been handed over to the champions.

Meanwhile, the women's continental tournament will be held from August 28 to September 13. India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group, with their league-stage clash slated for September 5.

But unlike the men's Asia Cup, the women's tournament does not offer the prospect of multiple India-Pakistan meetings before the final. That means the two teams can meet again only if they both progress to the summit clash, a possibility that could bring the trophy presentation matter into focus once more.

In practice, the obvious question now is: what happens if Harmanpreet Kaur's team wins the women's Asia Cup and Naqvi is on the presentation dais? Will the Indian women's team follow the precedence set by Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates and decline to receive it from Naqvi? The BCCI's position on such a situation is not known, leaving open the possibility of an unusual presentation ceremony if India are crowned champions.

Notably, the Board is clear that there would be no exchange of pleasantries between the two teams but will adopt a wait and watch approach as far as the possibilities regarding the presentation ceremony are concerned.

One way of avoiding a repeat of last year's controversy could be for Naqvi to not be the person handing over the trophy, letting another ACC official to perform the honours.

After India declined to receive the men's trophy from Naqvi, the ACC chief remarked the side could collect the trophy from him at the ACC office.

There has additionally been an attempt to break the deadlock, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia gathering Naqvi on the sidelines of an ICC session.

Although the trophy problem remains unresolved at that point, saikia had remarked the "ice had been broken" between the two sides.

Naqvi subsequently maintained that India would have to collect the silverware from him, keeping the matter alive even after the tournament had concluded.

For now, the focus remains on the tournament itself, with the presentation question becoming relevant only if India qualify for the final and emerge champions.

In short, coming up, Women' s Asia Cup and BCCI' s Naqvi problem is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.