Photo via Hindustan Times

India refuse to accept Women's Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, skip presentation ceremony as chaos erupts in Dubai

Following their triumph over Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup 2026 final at Dubai International Stadium, India chose not to attend the awards ceremony or collect the winner's silverware from Mohsin Naqvi. The Asian Cricket Council leader and Pakistan Cricket Board head, who also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister, was absent during most of the match before appearing near Board of Control for Cricket in India figures Rajeev Shukla and Devajit Saikia just prior to the conclusion.

A nearly 50-minute standoff ensued while Indian cricket officials conferred with the squad and Saikia presented a fielding honor to Nandni Sharma, culminating in the champions remaining secluded in their dressing room.

Only the umpires, match officials, and Chamari Athapaththu's runner-up Sri Lankan squad stepped onto the podium to claim their prizes from Naqvi, ending the telecast without any participation from the victorious side. This incident mirrored the previous year's Men's Asia Cup, when an Indian team captained by Yadav similarly declined to take their championship trophy from Naqvi amid geopolitical tensions tied to the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, leaving that men's prize unclaimed in the regional governing body's Dubai headquarters.