India women 'refuse' to collect Asia T20 Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

DUBAI: The Indian women’s cricket team did not collect the winners’ trophy during the official presentation ceremony after defeating Sri Lanka in the final of the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The development followed a delay in the post-match presentation, with the Indian team reportedly unwilling to receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The trophy presentation protocol had been finalised and the silverware was available for the victorious Indian team. 

However, the players and coaching staff returned to the dressing room and did not come out to collect it, while Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu accepted the runners-up prize money cheque from the ACC president.

ACC sources said the trophy remained available to the Indian team, while the title won by the Indian men’s team at the 2025 Asia Cup was also still awaiting collection.

It was also stated that Naqvi had not moved "an inch" from his previous position and continued to maintain the same stance.

Following their title-winning victory, the Indian players gathered separately in a huddle, where head coach Amol Muzumdar addressed the team and congratulated them on their achievement.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajiv Shukla later joined the celebrations and presented medals to the players, including Nandani Sharma.

Saikia also held an extended discussion with the players as he congratulated them on their impressive campaign and title triumph.

The development bears similarities to the men’s Asia Cup final in 2025, when India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in Dubai.

Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, had been scheduled to present the trophy to the Indian team. However, the players did not collect the silverware from him, resulting in an unusual delay in the post-match presentation.

The Indian players accepted their individual awards but did not receive the team trophy.

The incident came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan during the tournament, with India also declining to shake hands with Pakistan players during their matches.

After completing their successful chase in the 2025 final, the Indian players celebrated by mimicking the lifting of an imaginary trophy.

Naqvi subsequently left the venue with the official trophy, while India celebrated its Asia Cup triumph without the silverware.