India Refuses Women’s Asia Cup Trophy After Victory
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The victory gave India their eighth Asia Cup title, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
However, the celebrations were unusual as the Indian team chose not to accept the trophy or winners’ medals from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi.
India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, produced a strong performance in the final. After winning the toss, India decided to bat first and scored 183/5 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka struggled during their chase and were bowled out for just 111 runs.
Shafali and Smriti Give India a Strong Start
India’s victory was built on an excellent opening partnership between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. The two batters added 129 runs together, creating a strong foundation for India.
Shafali scored an impressive 68 runs from 39 balls, while Mandhana made 59 runs from 39 balls. Shafali reached her half-century in only 24 balls, setting a new record for the fastest fifty in the history of the Women’s Asia Cup.
Their partnership was the highest opening stand in a Women’s T20 Asia Cup final and helped India put a big total on the scoreboard.
Sri Lanka needed 184 runs to win, but their chase never gained momentum. India’s bowlers regularly took wickets and kept the pressure on the Sri Lankan batting lineup.
Indian Bowlers Finish the Job
N. Shree Charani was one of India’s biggest performers with the ball. She took four wickets, while all-rounder Deepti Sharma claimed three wickets.
Deepti played an important role in the middle overs, dismissing Vishmi Gunaratne and Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu in the 10th over. The wickets made Sri Lanka’s chase even more difficult.
Sri Lanka eventually finished on 111 runs, giving India a comfortable 72-run victory.
The result was particularly important for India because Sri Lanka had defeated them in the 2024 final to win their first Women’s Asia Cup title. India’s latest victory therefore also served as revenge for that earlier defeat.
India Do Not Collect the Trophy
Despite winning the final, the Indian players did not come forward to receive the winners’ medals or the trophy during the presentation ceremony.
Mohsin Naqvi was present at the ceremony. He also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. He presented the runners-up cheque to Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu.
India’s head coach Amol Muzumdar later explained that the decision was made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He said the team supported the board’s decision and considered the tournament complete after being officially declared champions.
The official scoreboard and tournament result listed India as the winners. The players celebrated their achievement with the tournament banner, but the trophy itself remained at the presentation area.
Similar Situation in Previous Asia Cup
The decision was similar to what happened after India’s victory over Pakistan in last year’s men’s Asia Cup final in Dubai.
After defeating Pakistan, India’s presentation ceremony was delayed for more than an hour. Former Bangladesh cricketer Aminul Islam distributed the medals, while Naqvi presented the runners-up cheque to Pakistan captain Salman Agha.
Presenter Simon Doull later announced that the Indian team would not come forward to collect their awards, and the ceremony ended without India receiving the trophy on stage.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had previously said that the board would not accept the trophy from Naqvi, referring to his political and cricket leadership roles in Pakistan. The same position was followed during the women’s Asia Cup final.
Focus Now Turns to Asian Games
With the Asia Cup campaign over, India will now turn their attention to the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Indian women’s team will begin its campaign from the quarterfinal stage.
Coach Amol Muzumdar has already shifted his focus toward the upcoming competition. The team will hope to continue the confidence gained from its unbeaten Asia Cup campaign and compete for another major international title.
India may have left the Asia Cup trophy unclaimed at the presentation ceremony, but there is no doubt about the result. India are the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 champions, having secured their eighth title with a dominant 72-run victory over Sri Lanka.