No Trophy For Victorious India In Women's Asia Cup 2026, Mohsin Naqvi Row Reignites

No Trophy, Only Memories: India's 8th Asia Cup Glint Marred by Same Old Drama

Namaste, dear cricket lovers. There is a rhythm to every great game — and lately, a certain dissonant note keeps disrupting the melody. Let me set the scene.

The Match: A Symphony of Dominance

On Sunday night at Dubai International Stadium, Harmanpreet Kaur's Indian women's team composed a masterpiece, lifting the Women's Asia Cup 2026 title for a record-extounding 8th time — crushing Sri Lanka by 72 runs.

The opening stand was pure poetry. Shafali Verma (68) and Smriti Mandhana (59) woven a 129-run partnership in just 12.5 overs — Shafali's 24-ball fifty the fastest in Asia Cup history, even beating Mandhana's own 2022 mark. India settled at 183/5.

Then Sree Charani (4/20) spun her spell, and Deepti Sharma delivered the final movement, removing both Athapaththu and Gunaratne in the 10th over. Sri Lanka bowled out for 111. Chamari Athapaththu's 36 stood alone.

The Dissonance: A Trophy Left Behind

But here, dear friends, where the music turns sour. The final ended at 11:20 PM IST, yet the presentation ceremony dragged past midnight — 12:05 AM Monday. Former SL bat Farveez Maharoof announced the ceremony "over" before India's turn came.

The crux? ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi — also Pakistan's Interior Minister — presented the runner-up cheque and Sri Lanka skipper's medal, then departed without the trophy. No medal was awarded to the champions.

This echoes last year's Men's Asia Cup final (Sept 28, same venue) — India beat Pakistan, yet the standoff lasted nearly an hour before Naqvi ordered the trophy removed. The men's side still waits; their trophy rests at the ACC office while SKY's team celebrated empty-handed on the dais.

In This Rhythm:

When victory tastes bittersweet, one wonders — does the game's beauty survive the politics that shadow it?

Jai Hind. 🏏

Source: NDTV Sports