With the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 coming up, a big question is on everyone’s mind: What happens if the Indian women’s team wins the tournament?
This year, the event takes place in the UAE at Dubai International Stadium. The Asian Cricket Council is running the show and right now it’s led by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi. If India takes home the title will we see a repeat of Suryakumar Yadav’s stance—celebrating a win but refusing to lift the trophy?
India faces Pakistan on September 5. Unlike in the men’s Asia Cup next year, the women’s team may only run into their rivals twice—once in the group stage and possibly again in the final. That fuels another debate: Will India shake hands with Pakistan, or will they stick to a no-handshake policy? Let’s break things down.
What if India wins the Asia Cup—will they pick up the trophy?
Right now, nobody knows how India will react if they win. Logically, if Harmanpreet Kaur leads her team to the top, they deserve to celebrate with the trophy. But the ACC president is still Mohsin Naqvi. If he stands on stage ready to present the silverware, does India accept it? Or do they act like Suryakumar Yadav’s team and celebrate the moment without the physical trophy?
There’s also a chance the Indian team could collect the trophy from another ACC official, sidestepping Naqvi altogether. Either way, the spotlight will be on that post-match moment.
What happened to the men’s Asia Cup trophy?
After the men’s team refused to accept their trophy from Naqvi, he said India could pick it up from the ACC office. Things seemed to thaw a bit when BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia met Naqvi during an ICC gathering. Saikia later claimed that the ‘ice had been broken,’ but the trophy situation didn’t get sorted. Naqvi held firm: India would need to collect the trophy directly from him.
No-handshake policy—will it continue?
Last year, during the men’s Asia Cup, India and Pakistan faced each other three times. Not once did they shake hands—tensions were high after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. The Indian women’s team followed a similar path—no handshakes during the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 or the T20 World Cup 2026.
There’s every indication Harmanpreet Kaur’s team will stick to this approach when they meet Fatima Sana’s team in the Asia Cup.
But not every sport follows the same path. During the Hockey World Cup 2026, Harmanpreet Singh’s hockey squad shook hands and even exchanged high-fives with Pakistan on the field in Amstelveen.
It’s clear—cricket reflects more than just sports. Every gesture, every decision, is tied up with the bigger picture. All eyes will be on the Women in Blue later this year.