India Clinch Eighth Women’s Asia Cup, Refuse To Accept Trophy From Mohsin Naqvi

New Delhi: India clinched a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title with a commanding 72-run victory over Sri Lanka in the final in Dubai on Sunday, but the celebrations were followed by a diplomatic moment as the Indian team declined to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates celebrated the emphatic victory, which further underlined the team’s dominance in the continental tournament. However, the players did not collect the championship trophy from Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and a minister in the Pakistan cabinet.

Naqvi was present at the stadium and later appeared on the presentation stage, where he handed the runners-up cheque to Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu. The presentation ceremony ended without the Indian team receiving the trophy from him.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later said the board had requested that the established trophy presentation tradition be followed and that the trophy be handed over by another ACC official.

Saikia said BCCI representatives had also suggested that ACC deputy chairman could present the trophy to the Indian team to avoid controversy. He stressed that the request had been made openly and was linked to the existing circumstances in India-Pakistan cricket relations.

“Our stand is about one and a half years old now. Because of our stand, we have yet to receive the trophy for the men’s Asia Cup. So we cannot change it,” Saikia said.

He said the BCCI had made a similar request ahead of Sunday’s final, adding that the board did not want to create controversy but could not ignore the situation on the ground.

India’s refusal follows a similar episode involving the men’s team, which won the Asia Cup in Dubai in 2025 but did not receive the trophy from Naqvi. Saikia also pointed out that the trophy presentation practice had varied in earlier editions, with winning teams receiving the trophy from officials of their respective cricket boards.

The Indian women’s team’s decision came after it completed a dominant campaign to secure its eighth continental crown. (Agencies)