India’s women skipped the trophy presentation after beating Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup final in Dubai.
India’s women’s cricket team declined to receive the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi after defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Dubai on Sunday. The team sealed the title but did not come out of their dressing room to collect the trophy at the presentation ceremony.
According to The Express Tribune, Naqvi had travelled to Dubai to attend the ceremony in his capacity as ACC president. He also serves as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and holds a position in Pakistan’s federal cabinet. ACC sources quoted by the paper said the presentation protocol had been agreed in advance and that the trophy was available to be handed to the winners, adding that the Indian team decided not to receive it.
The decision followed a similar episode from the previous men’s tournament. India’s men’s team also declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi after winning last year, and an under-19 side later declined to collect medals from him following a runners-up finish in Dubai, with those medals presented instead by an Afghanistan Cricket Board official. Under existing arrangements, India-Pakistan matches at ICC events are scheduled to be played at neutral venues through 2027.
Women’s Asia Cup final: India crush Sri Lanka in Dubai
India claimed the Women’s Asia Cup for a record eighth time. India posted 185-5 from their 20 overs, built on half-centuries from openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. Shafali top-scored with 68 and Mandhana made 59 to give India a strong start before Sri Lanka’s bowlers pulled things back late in the innings.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 113 in the chase. Spinner Shree Charani finished with four wickets and Deepti Sharma took three. Captain Chamari Athapaththu was the top scorer with 36 from 32 balls, with Vishmi Gunaratne and Nilakshi de Silva reaching double figures.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her side’s consistency across the tournament, saying the team had set high standards and kept matching them, and singled out Shafali for taking responsibility with bat and ball. Athapaththu said Sri Lanka had not produced their best in the final but would use the defeat as motivation ahead of the Asian Games, adding that the team had played good cricket throughout the tournament.
