India’s women clinched their record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title with a 72-run victory over Sri Lanka in the final. The Indian team scored 183 runs, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma both making fifties. However, the post-match ceremony became overshadowed by a trophy presentation controversy that has now drawn sharp criticism from cricket commentator Aakash Chopra.
The presentation ceremony at Dubai International Cricket Stadium was delayed by more than 30 minutes after the match concluded. India declined to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s interior minister and ACC chairman, which extended the delay to 45 minutes. The Indian players remained inside the dressing room as the ceremony eventually proceeded, and the team ultimately did not receive the trophy from Naqvi.
“Indian women have become Asia Cup champions for the eighth time. But once again, they haven’t received the trophy. The men’s team didn’t get the trophy either. You know why, right? Mohsin Naqvi came along. Whenever he comes, he runs away with the trophy. The Indian team doesn’t take the trophy from him. And we all know it,” said Chopra as quoted by NDTV Sports.
“We knew that India had won eight out of 10 tournaments. So we already knew that India was going to win this tournament. Then how did we end up here? I still can’t understand why we can’t figure out something. If this is going to happen again and again, why do we even play the Asia Cup?,” he added.
Why the Asia Cup trophy remains unclaimed?
The objection to the trophy presentation stems from Naqvi’s dual role as both ACC chairman and a senior cabinet minister responsible for Pakistan’s interior security apparatus. This dual position has drawn sustained Indian resistance over time. The controversy echoes a similar incident from the men’s T20 Asia Cup final, when India’s team led by Suryakumar Yadav defeated Pakistan by five wickets but also refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi during the post-match ceremony.
“We discussed the trophy issue and decided not to take it from him. He didn’t object to it, and we told our team. They gave whatever they had and left. There was no quarrel, no fight, no clash, and what (Devajit) Saikia ji said is right. When you sit in a match, everyone sits and meets there. It doesn’t mean that you have to criticise them hugely. When you sit in a match, everyone sits there and meets all people from various countries,” Shukla said.
