India Secures Eighth Women's Asia Cup Title Amid Controversy
India Triumphs in Women's Asia Cup Final
On Sunday, September 13, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), found himself in the spotlight following India's remarkable victory in the Women's Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium. The Indian women's team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, claimed their eighth title by defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs, avenging their loss in the previous year's final.
India set a challenging target of 184 runs, thanks to a stellar opening partnership of 129 runs between Smriti Mandhana (59) and Shafali Verma (68). The Indian bowlers then restricted Sri Lanka to just 111 runs, with a stunning collapse that saw them lose five wickets for a mere 11 runs.
Shree Charani (4/20) and Deepti Sharma (3/19) played pivotal roles in dismantling the Sri Lankan batting order during the middle overs. However, the post-match presentation ceremony was marred by unexpected drama.
Controversy at the Presentation Ceremony
As India celebrated their title win, the presentation ceremony quickly turned chaotic. Mohsin Naqvi, one of the chief guests, faced significant backlash from parts of the audience. Many fans expressed their displeasure after Naqvi reportedly declined to present the Asia Cup Trophy to the Indian men's team last year amid ongoing cross-border tensions.
In a show of solidarity, the Women in Blue opted not to accept the trophy directly from Naqvi, adhering to a protocol established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). A viral video captured the crowd chanting 'Trophy Chor, Trophy Chor' as Naqvi exited after presenting the runners-up cheque to Sri Lanka's captain, Chamari Athapaththu.
Similar to the previous year, Naqvi did not hand over the trophy to the Indian women's team, as Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates chose to forgo the podium, allowing the administrative tensions to overshadow their impressive title defense.
BCCI's Firm Stance
In the aftermath of the match, India's head coach Amol Muzumdar addressed the media regarding the team's refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi, emphasizing the BCCI's position. He stated, 'The stand has been taken by the BCCI. We stand by it. For us, this tournament is over. We are the champions. That's good enough.'
Muzumdar expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, noting, 'It was on the big board that India, the champions of the Asia Cup 2026. We are happy that we've turned out to be champions. Now, we look forward to the Asian Games.'
Following this victory, Team India will travel to Japan for the Asian Games, where they will begin their quest to defend their gold medal against the host nation in the quarterfinals on September 18. If they progress, a potential semifinal clash with arch-rivals Pakistan awaits, who will face Thailand in their quarterfinal.