The Indian women’s cricket team chose not to attend the official trophy presentation after defeating Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup final, creating another uncomfortable moment involving Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
India produced a dominant performance at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs to lift the title. However, the post-match presentation took an unexpected turn when the Indian players, coaching staff and team officials did not appear on the stage to collect the trophy.
The decision is reminiscent of the controversy surrounding the 2025 men’s Asia Cup final, when India also declined to accept the trophy from Naqvi following their victory.
India Celebrates Title Win Without Trophy Presentation
Harmanpreet Kaur-led India celebrated their comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the usual manner. The players also completed their post-match broadcast interviews before returning to the team area.
Normally, the trophy presentation takes place within around 15 to 20 minutes of the conclusion of the match. On this occasion, however, the ceremony was delayed for more than an hour.
During the wait, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla were seen interacting with the Indian players away from the presentation stage. The team’s medal ceremony was also reportedly conducted privately inside the dressing room, with the BCCI officials present.
The Indian contingent, meanwhile, did not make an appearance near the official presentation area.
Mohsin Naqvi Attends Presentation Ceremony
Mohsin Naqvi reportedly arrived at the stadium intending to present the Women’s Asia Cup trophy in his capacity as ACC chief.
He did participate in the official presentation. Naqvi handed Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu the runners-up cheque following the final.
However, the Indian team did not come forward to receive the championship trophy from him.
Reports emerging from Pakistan suggest that the trophy could once again be taken back to the ACC office in Dubai, similar to what happened after the 2025 men’s Asia Cup final.
2025 Asia Cup Trophy Controversy Repeated
The latest incident has brought back memories of the previous year’s men’s Asia Cup final, which was also held in Dubai.
After India won that tournament, the Indian team reportedly wanted an ICC or ACC representative other than Naqvi to hand over the trophy. India did not wish to receive the silverware directly from the ACC chief.
The disagreement eventually resulted in an unusual situation at the stadium. Naqvi did not allow another official to present the trophy, while the Indian side maintained its position.
With neither side changing its stance, Naqvi ultimately left the venue with the trophy and took it to the ACC office.
India-Pakistan Tensions Cast Shadow Over Asia Cup
The 2025 controversy came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
India had already taken a number of symbolic steps during that tournament. The Indian team avoided the traditional handshake ritual during matches against Pakistan, while captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated India’s first victory over Pakistan in the competition to the Indian armed forces.
The BCCI’s decision to avoid Naqvi was also reportedly influenced by comments he had previously made about India while serving as Pakistan’s federal interior minister.
The issue later became a subject of discussion among Indian cricket administrators at ICC meetings. Despite those discussions, Naqvi continued to maintain that India should collect the trophy from the ACC office rather than having another official present it.
Another Trophy Standoff Involving Naqvi
The Women’s Asia Cup final has now produced a strikingly similar situation.
India secured a convincing 72-run victory and celebrated their championship success, but the formal trophy handover involving Mohsin Naqvi did not take place with the Indian team.
If the trophy is once again taken to the ACC office, it would mark a repeat of the unusual sequence witnessed after the 2025 men’s Asia Cup final and add another chapter to the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket tensions.