The Indian women’s cricket team once again chose not to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi after winning the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 on September 13.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final to win their record eighth Asia Cup title. Despite their convincing victory, the Indian players did not take part in the official trophy presentation ceremony.
India’s decision was similar to what happened during last year’s men’s Asia Cup. The Indian men’s team had also refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi after defeating Pakistan in the final.
Naqvi is not only the head of the ACC but also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). His different roles have become a major point of discussion in the presentation ceremonies involving India.
India Celebrates Without the Trophy
After the women’s final, the Indian players celebrated their historic victory on the field but did not return to the presentation area to collect the winners’ medals or trophy.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia presented an in-house award to Indian player Nandini Sharma for her performance as the best fielder. Following the award, the Indian players did not come back onto the field for the main trophy presentation.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, completed the runners-up presentation. Sri Lanka Cricket interim chief Eran Wikramaratne presented the runners-up cheque and medals to the Sri Lankan players before Naqvi handed the award to Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu.
The Indian team was officially declared the champion, but the trophy was left without being collected by the winning side.
Trophy Remains at ACC Office
The Asia Cup trophy is reportedly still with the Asian Cricket Council at its office. The Indian team instead celebrated their title without taking possession of the silverware.
The situation was different from last year. During the previous Asia Cup presentation, Naqvi left the stadium carrying the trophy after the Indian team declined to collect it.
This time, however, Naqvi reportedly left the stadium without the trophy.
Similar Decision to Last Year
The decision by the women’s team follows the same position taken by the Indian men’s team a year earlier. The issue has attracted attention because of the political and diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan.
The Indian team’s decision did not affect the official result of the tournament. India remain the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 champions after their dominant performance against Sri Lanka.
India’s victory was built on strong performances throughout the tournament. The team remained unbeaten and produced an excellent display in the final, winning comfortably by 72 runs.
While the trophy presentation became controversial, the Indian players focused on celebrating their achievement and winning another major title for the country.
The latest incident has once again highlighted the difficult connection between cricket and the wider political relationship between India and Pakistan. Despite the controversy surrounding the presentation, India’s eighth Asia Cup title remains officially recorded, while the trophy itself remains with the ACC.