A diplomatic standoff overshadowed the post-match celebrations in Dubai after Harmanpreet Kaur’s India declined to receive the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief and Pakistan Cricket Board's chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Despite securing a resounding 72-run win over Sri Lanka in the final, the Indian team stood firm on their stance, which saw the the post-match presentation for some time before eventually celebrating their title win without the official silverware on the podium.
India women's team declines collecting Asia Cup 2026 trophy from Mohsin Naqvi
The incident mirrors a similar controversy from September 2025, when the Indian men’s team likewise opted against accepting the Asia Cup trophy directly from Naqvi.
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Naqvi largely skipped the action during the Women's Asia Cup 2026 final between India and Sri Lanka, broadcast cameras caught him in the stands at the Dubai International Stadium shortly before the match concluded. His arrival alongside BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla and Secretary Devajit Saikia immediately signaled potential drama. With India closing in on the title, anticipation mounted over whether Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad would accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as the PCB Chairman and Pakistan's Interior Minister.
Sure enough, the impasse from the previous year repeated itself as the Indian unit held firm on its stance against accepting the silverware from the ACC chief. The standoff caused a nearly 50-minute delay to the post-match presentation while officials attempted to resolve the dispute. During the hold-up, broadcast coverage showed Naqvi exchanging brief pleasantries with Shukla, followed by discussions between BCCI representatives and the Indian players. In a clear sign of the ongoing deadlock, Saikia stepped in independently to hand out internal accolades, including presenting a fielding award to Nandni Sharma. When the stage ceremony finally commenced with Naqvi on the dais, the Indian team remained inside the dressing room. Only the Sri Lankan squad came forward to collect their runners-up medals, confirming India's total boycott of the trophy presentation. This controversy echoes the events of the 2025 Men's Asia Cup, where a Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team similarly declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi. Due to that prior boycott, the men's trophy was never officially handed over and remains stored at the ACC headquarters in Dubai.
How did the summit clash unfold?
Electing to bat after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss, India set the tone for the summit clash with a blistering 129-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. Shafali led the charge with a dynamic 68, while Mandhana provided fluency at the other end with a well-crafted 59. Their dominant partnership laid the groundwork for India to post a formidable total of 183 for five in their allotted 20 overs. Chasing a daunting target, Sri Lanka's hopes rested squarely on captain Chamari Athapaththu. However, once off-spinner Deepti Sharma broke the game open by claiming Athapaththu's crucial wicket, the opposition's chase completely fell apart, allowing India to coast to an emphatic title victory.