The Indian Women’s cricket team made headlines for more than just their dominant performance on Sunday, September 13, 2026, as they clinched a record-extending eighth Women’s T20 Asia Cup title in Dubai.
While Harmanpreet Kaur’s side emphatically defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final, the champions controversially opted to skip the post-match presentation ceremony and refused to accept the winners’ trophy, sparking a fresh diplomatic row in cricketing circles .
Madan Lal Reacts After India Women Refuse Asia Cup Trophy
Trophy Snub Draws Sharp Reactions
The Indian contingent’s refusal to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, led to a significant delay in the post-match proceedings at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India Women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar confirmed that the decision was taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the team stood firmly by it. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia further clarified that the BCCI had informed ACC officials prior to the final that India would not accept the trophy from Naqvi if they won, citing existing circumstances in India’s cricketing relationship with Pakistan.
This incident mirrors a similar controversy from the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup final, where the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian men’s team also declined to accept the trophy from Naqvi following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. That men’s trophy reportedly remains locked at the ACC headquarters, with Naqvi reportedly insisting on personally handing it over.
Reacting to the ongoing impasse, Madan Lal, a member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team, voiced strong opinions. “Once again same old story. If we are going to behave like this then we should not play Pakistan any trophies. I know its Board decision,” Lal stated, questioning the feasibility of India-Pakistan cricket fixtures under such recurring circumstances.
Dominant Performance on the Field
Despite the off-field drama, India’s performance in the final was commanding. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, India posted a formidable total of 183 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana laid a solid foundation with a record-breaking 129-run partnership for the first wicket. Verma was particularly explosive, smashing 68 runs off just 39 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, achieving the fastest fifty in Women’s Asia Cup history in just 24 deliveries. Mandhana complemented her with a fluent 59 runs off 39 balls.
In response, Sri Lanka struggled to keep pace with the daunting target. Their innings faltered against a disciplined Indian bowling attack, eventually being bowled out for 111 runs in 20 overs. Captain Chamari Athapaththu was the top scorer for Sri Lanka with 36 runs. For India, left-arm spinner Shree Charani was the pick of the bowlers, claiming an impressive four wickets for 20 runs, while Deepti Sharma provided crucial breakthroughs with three wickets for 19 runs.
India’s victory avenged their defeat to Sri Lanka in the 2024 final and underscored their dominance in women’s continental cricket. This marks their eighth title in nine final appearances, extending their impressive head-to-head record against Sri Lanka to 25 wins in 31 encounters.
The match concluded around 11:25 PM IST, but the presentation ceremony was significantly delayed. While Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu did accept the runners-up award from Mohsin Naqvi, no individual player awards were distributed, and the Indian team did not receive their winners’ medals or the actual Asia Cup trophy. The champions, however, celebrated their hard-fought victory with an impromptu team photo on the field after the ceremony concluded.