Team India did not take the women’s Asia Cup trophy from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi following their win over Sri Lanka in the title clash at Dubai on Sunday.
Fifties from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma and a four-wicket haul from Sree Charani helped the Indian women’s side to their overall eighth women’s Asia Cup title (and fourth across T20I editions), beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in a one-sided title clash at Dubai on Sunday. After the finals, while Sri Lankan players took to the stage to receive their runners-up medals, their skipper Chamari Athapaththu was awarded a cheque by Naqvi, who also happens to be the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, after Sri Lanka’s award presentation concluded, the broadcast cut back to the post-match show in the studio. India was not present near the stage as Sri Lankan players received their honours.
Team India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who had earlier given a post-match interview to broadcasters after the win, did not follow Athapaththu for the post-match presentation. There was no footage of India holding the trophy amid some raining confetti/fireworks, a usual sight after every tournament win.
However, before the presentation ceremony started, Team India was in a huddle of their own, with their head coach Amol Muzumdar addressing the team and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajiv Shukla giving the ‘Fielder of the Match’ medal to pacer Nandani Sharma, who took two catches in the match. Saikia spoke to the players and congratulated the team on their win.
When the post-match proceedings started, Sri Lankan players received their runners-up medals from dignitaries (with Naqvi on the stage), the Indian players were nowhere to be seen, and immediately after Athapaththu’s post-match interview, the broadcast shifted to the post-match show in the studio, with no more visuals of Team India shown.
The drama was witnessed last year too after Tilak Varma’s masterclass helped India beat Pakistan in a nail-biting finale in the UAE; the post-match proceedings were delayed for around 90 minutes.
Team India refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi amid tensions caused by cross-border terrorism. After a long delay, the stage was set, but unexpectedly, an official removed the Asia Cup trophy from its place on a raised dais and carried it off the ground with him. Despite their refusal to accept the trophy, Team India still celebrated on the stage, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav mimicking his predecessor, Rohit Sharma’s slow walk after the T20 World Cup final in 2024, and lifting the imaginary trophy alongside his teammates.
Throughout that tournament, Team India players and the skipper did not shake hands with any Pakistan players/skipper during the toss or after the match and victories were dedicated to the Indian Armed personnel who led the ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. India’s trilogy of matches with Pakistan saw the Men in Blue clean sweep their arch-rivals. To this day, Team India has not received their trophy from the ACC chair, and the stalemate has seeped into the women’s edition of the tournament as well, leading to the question if the women’s trophy will also face the same fate.
India produced a dominant all-round display to clinch the continental title, posting 183/5 before bowling Sri Lanka out for 111 in 20 overs, with a four-fer from Sree Charani (4/20). India’s batting effort was led by openers Shafali Verma (68 in 39 balls, with nine fours and two sixes) and Smriti Mandhana (59 in 39 balls, with five fours and three sixes), who put together a record 129-run partnership for the first wicket.
