India clinched a record-extending eighth Women's Asia Cup title but the celebrations on the Dubai International Stadium pitch were muted as the champions did not accept the tournament trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs on Sunday night, yet the customary trophy-lift did not take place amid a delayed and truncated presentation ceremony.
Turning point: presentation stage drama
The match concluded at 11:20 PM IST, but the formal presentation did not begin until 12:05 AM IST on Monday. Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof initiated the presentation, calling match officials and the Sri Lanka team to the stage. Sri Lanka received their runners-up cheques and medals, handed out by Mr Naqvi and Sri Lanka Cricket interim chief Eran Wickramaratne respectively. After the Sri Lanka segment, Maharoof announced that the presentation was over, and the broadcast moved away without showing India receiving the trophy.
At the other end of the ground, the Indian players, along with head coach Amol Muzumdar, had gathered separately. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla and secretary Devajit Saikia were present with the team. They presented pacer Nandani Sharma with the medal for Best Fielder on the field after her two catches in the final, and Saikia offered congratulations to the players before the team returned to the dressing room.
"It was BCCI's stand to refuse receiving the Women's Asia Cup Trophy from Mohsin Naqvi," said coach Amol Muzumdar, according to reports.
Echoes of last year's men’s final
The incident revived memories of the 2025 men's Asia Cup final, also staged at Dubai International Stadium, where India had similarly declined the trophy presentation from Mr Naqvi. In that earlier episode the presentation was held up for around 90 minutes and concluded without India accepting the physical trophy on the dais. In the women's final on Sunday, Mr Naqvi — who is also Pakistan's Interior Minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board — left the stadium after presenting Sri Lanka's honours but did not carry the trophy himself.
The absence of an on-stage trophy presentation for the Indian champions drew immediate attention on broadcast coverage and across social media as confetti and fireworks marked the victory without the usual visual of the team lifting the silverware.
Match result and immediate aftermath
India’s comprehensive win by 72 runs delivered their eighth Asia Cup crown and extended their dominance in the continental event. The post-match sequence saw the champions celebrate in their own space with senior BCCI officials and coaching staff rather than on the main presentation stage.
- Result: India beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs.
- Venue: Dubai International Stadium.
- Presentation delay: Match ended 11:20 PM IST; ceremony began 12:05 AM IST.
- Key personnel present with India: Coach Amol Muzumdar, BCCI VP Rajeev Shukla, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.
| Team | Outcome |
|---|---|
| India | Champions (eight Asia Cup titles) |
| Sri Lanka | Runners-up |
The episode adds another chapter to tensions surrounding trophy presentations when officials from Pakistan are involved, a sensitive issue in the subcontinent's cricket diplomacy. Officials and team management from India carried out internal acknowledgements on the field, but the lack of a formal trophy exchange with the ACC president means the usual public ritual marking the victory did not take place.
As the celebrations concluded and the team returned to their dressing area, broadcasters cut to studio coverage, leaving viewers without definitive images of the Indian players posing with the Asia Cup trophy. The matter is likely to prompt further discussion between the BCCI, ACC and broadcasters about presentation protocols at multinational events in future.
For now, the scoreboard records India as champions by 72 runs and Harmanpreet Kaur's side as eight-time winners of the Women's Asia Cup; the podium moment, however, remains a contested footnote to the triumph.
