India’s women’s cricket team secured a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup championship on Sunday, September 13, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
However, the celebration was overshadowed by a controversy during the post‑match presentation, when Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad members hesitated and failed to step forward to take the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi.
India Refuses Trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi
The trophy ceremony was delayed by roughly forty minutes after Sri Lanka’s final boundary fell. Match officials were presented with their memorabilia before the Sri Lankan players received their runners‑up medals; captain Chamari Athapaththu also collected the team’s runner‑up cheque from Naqvi.
Nonetheless, the Indian athletes did not make their way to the stage to accept their winnings, nor to pick up the silverware. Naqvi – who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister and chairperson of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) – remained seated, causing the ceremony to conclude without India officially handing over the cup. The live broadcast cut short before the Indian team could claim their prize.
This closely mirrors the controversy from last year’s men’s Asia Cup final, when India’s male side likewise refused to accept the accolade from Naqvi after a victory over Pakistan in Dubai, resulting in a prolonged presentation and a national celebration without the hardware.
India delivered a commanding all‑around performance after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. The opening partnership of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana set the tone, combining a century and each nipping down a centuries‑long totals challenge.
Verma blasted six boundaries in just thirty‑nine deliveries to reach a career fifty‑eight, while Mandhana added fifty‑nine from the same spell. India posted a firm 183/5 in twenty overs. Unrelenting pressure from Sri Lanka, combined with a supremely effective spin attack featuring Shree Charani (four for twenty) and Deepti Sharma (three for nineteen), resulted in the hosts being dismissed for 111 runs.
The outcome crowns India’s eighth consecutive Women’s Asia Cup triumph, highlighting their lasting dominance in the tournament. Nevertheless, despite prevailing over the opposition on the field, the victorious team left the podium without formal receipt of the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi.