India lifted the Women's Asia Cup for a record-extending eighth time after defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Sunday's final in Dubai, but the celebrations were overshadowed by a remarkable trophy presentation controversy.
The Indian team did not attend the main presentation ceremony or accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan's interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The ceremony was delayed by more than 45 minutes after the match, with players from both teams remaining inside their respective dressing rooms. Sri Lanka eventually collected their runners-up medals, while India's players were not called up to receive either their medals or the trophy.
India Stay Away From Trophy Presentation
Naqvi was present on the temporary stage when the presentation ceremony finally began.
Match officials were presented with their medals first, followed by the Sri Lankan team. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu collected the runners-up award from Naqvi before addressing the team's performance.
However, the Indian players never appeared on the stage.
The Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament awards were also not presented during the ceremony.
The tournament's official social media accounts did not post images of India celebrating with the trophy.
Instead, the Indian women's cricket team's social media account shared a group photograph of the players and coaching staff in what appeared to be an empty stadium after the ceremony.
Amol Muzumdar Confirms BCCI Took the Decision
India head coach Amol Muzumdar confirmed after the match that the decision not to attend the presentation was taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"That stand has been taken by the BCCI, and we stand by it," Muzumdar said when asked why the Indian team did not appear at the ceremony.
"The tournament is over. We are the champions, and that's good enough [for us]," he added.
The BCCI and ACC did not publicly provide further details about the decision.
The development therefore appears to have been driven by the wider political tensions between India and Pakistan rather than anything connected to the result of the tournament itself.
Repeat of 2025 Men's Asia Cup Controversy
The incident closely mirrors what happened during the men's Asia Cup final in September 2025.
India defeated Pakistan in the final at the same venue but refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who was serving as ACC president at the time and is also the chairman of the PCB.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia subsequently said India's decision was based on Naqvi's presence at the ceremony.
The latest incident involving the women's team represents a repeat of that stance, with Naqvi once again at the centre of the trophy presentation.
India-Pakistan Cricket Relations Remain Tense
Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated significantly in recent years, with the political tensions increasingly spilling into cricket.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 and the subsequent military escalation between the two countries, sporting encounters between India and Pakistan have frequently been surrounded by controversy.
The cricketing relationship has also seen visible changes.
Indian and Pakistani teams have avoided customary handshakes in several recent encounters, including meetings in the men's and women's Asia Cups and ICC tournaments.
The Asia Cup final in Dubai has now produced another politically charged moment, despite Pakistan not being involved in the women's final itself.
India Complete Record Eighth Asia Cup Triumph
The controversy came after India had enjoyed a dominant campaign on the field.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final to reclaim the Women's Asia Cup title after Sri Lanka had won the previous edition in 2024.
The victory gave India their eighth Women's Asia Cup title, further extending their record in the competition.
The result also capped a successful tournament for the Indian team, although the post-match trophy ceremony ensured that the political story surrounding the tournament became almost as prominent as the cricket itself.
Cricket and Politics Collide Again
The refusal to accept the trophy marks another significant moment in the increasingly complicated relationship between cricket and South Asian politics.
India's players celebrated their title away from the official presentation stage, while the trophy itself was not handed over to the champions during the ceremony.
For the Indian team, the sporting objective was achieved with a record eighth Asia Cup title.
But the scenes in Dubai once again highlighted how difficult it has become to separate major India-Pakistan cricket events from the political tensions between the two countries.
