Indian Women's Cricket Team Refuses Asia Cup Trophy From Mohsin Naqvi

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team captured a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title by defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 13, 2026. However, the victory was followed by a major trophy impasse as the victorious players refused to accept the championship trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister and heads the Pakistan Cricket Board. According to reports from NDTV Sports, the post-match presentation ceremony experienced a delay of more than 45 minutes while players from both sides waited near their dressing rooms.

India Women Win Asia Cup But Refuse Trophy From Mohsin Naqvi

During the match, Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana posted impressive half-centuries, with Verma scoring 68 and Mandhana adding 59 to help India reach a total of 183 for 5 in 20 overs. In response, the Sri Lankan batting lineup was restricted to 111 in 20 overs, anchored by a standout bowling performance from Sree Charani, who claimed 4 wickets for 20 runs. While Sri Lanka received their runners-up cheque from Naqvi and medals from SLC interim chief Eran Wickramaratne, the Indian squad remained absent from the presentation stage.

Indian Women's Cricket Team Refuses Asia Cup Trophy From Mohsin Naqvi — Photo: sports.ndtv.com

BCCI Stance and Similar Precedent From Men’s Team

India head coach Amol Muzumdar addressed the decision during his post-match press conference, stating that the refusal to accept the award came directly from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). That stand has been taken by the BCCI, and we stand by it, Muzumdar said, adding, The tournament is over. We are the champions, and that’s good enough [for us]. The Hindu reported that the physical Asia Cup trophy has since been kept at the ACC office, echoing an identical controversy from the previous year.

During the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup final at the same venue, the Indian men’s team led by Suryakumar Yadav similarly declined to receive their trophy and medals from Naqvi due to his political and sports leadership roles in Pakistan. Following this year’s women’s final, Naqvi presented the runners-up award to Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and left the stadium immediately, moving away without the championship trophy. Unlike the men’s team’s previous impromptu celebration on the dais, the Times of India noted that the women’s team did not return to the ground even after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia presented an in-house best fielder medal to Nandini Sharma.

Diplomatic Tensions and Broader Impasse

The refusal highlights the deep-seated political and diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. Bilateral relations deteriorated significantly following an armed attack that killed 26 men in Pahalgam, a tourism site in Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which was followed by subsequent military actions. As a result of the ongoing diplomatic freeze, Rediff.com noted that players from both nations strictly adhere to a no-handshake protocol during pre-match tosses and post-match walkoffs across all Asian and global tournaments conducted by the International Cricket Council.