Indian women’s cricket team refuses to accept Asia Cup trophy from AC…

The Asia Cup trophy impasse continued for the second year in a row after the victorious Indian women’s cricket on Sunday did not accept the cup from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman from Pakistan. lebandit.lat

Harmanpreet Kaur-led India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs here to lift their record-extending eighth Asia Cup title, but the players did not come out on the field for post-tournament presentation ceremonies.

All smiles in Dubai

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A dominating show by #TeamIndia as they beat Sri Lanka by 7⃣2⃣ runs to clinch their 8⃣th #WomensAsiaCup title

Scorecard https://t.co/knKLXGSfOd #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/vwLmZZcUUD

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) September 13, 2026

“India are officially the (Asia Cup) champions. Trophy or no trophy doesn’t matter to us. This is BCCI’s stand (to not take trophy from Naqvi). We can’t say anything on this," India head coach Amol Muzumdar said in the post-match press conference.

It may be recalled that the Indian men’s team had last year declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy and medals from Naqvi, who heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and is also the Interior Minister of that country.

The Indian team is yet to receive the Asia Cup trophy, which has since been kept in the ACC office.

Instead the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian outfit conducted an impromptu celebration on the dais without the physical prize.

However, this time the Indian women’s team members did not even return to the ground after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia presented Nandini Sharma with an in-house best fielder medal.

However, the Sri Lankan team received the runners-up cheque from Naqvi, and before that all the players and support staff accepted medals from SLC interim chief Eran Wikramaratne.

Naqvi left the stadium immediately after presenting the award to Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu, but unlike last year he moved away without carrying the trophy.

The diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have been frozen ever since last year’s Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.

The players from both the sides – men and women – now follow a no-handshake protocol whenever they meet in the Asian or the global events conducted by the ICC. PTI

India’s domination in the Women’s Asia Cup continued as they bagged another title, defeating Sri Lanka in Dubai on September 13. Having played in all 10 Women’s Asia Cup finals, the Women in Blue have now secured eight titles, clearly showcasing their dominance over the years.

Throughout the recently-concluded edition, India remained unbeaten, winning all five games — three in the group stage, the semi-final and the final. But this Asia Cup win should not convince anyone that India have improved significantly in their approach to T20Is.

India have clearly struggled in the last two T20 World Cups, having suffered group-stage exits, and hence, questions have started to be raised. Even in this Asia Cup, apart from a few positives, there are still several areas that need to be improved. Otherwise, despite being so dominant in Asia, they will struggle against top teams like Australia, England and South Africa.

Positives

Mandhana-Shafali opening pair

The biggest positive from India’s batting unit was the opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. The Women in Blue scored 741 runs in five matches, with 449 of those runs coming from the duo — Shafali scored 236, the tournament’s highest, while Mandhana made 213, the second-highest.

That means 61% of India’s runs came from the two openers, clearly showing how dependent the team is on them to get a good start and provide a solid foundation for the following batters.

Spin bowling unit

India’s spinners were expected to deliver in Dubai conditions, and they did exactly that. On typical Dubai pitches, where spinners were seen getting plenty of purchase throughout the competition, India’s spin unit made the most of it, taking 35 of the 47 wickets picked up by the team in the tournament — approximately 75.5%.

Deepti Sharma led the charge with 14 wickets, the tournament’s highest, while N Shree Charani took 12, the second-highest. Prema Rawat picked up seven wickets, while Shafali Verma chipped in with two.

Areas of concern

Future of Pratika Rawal

Before the Asia Cup, when Pratika Rawal received her maiden T20I call-up, some eyebrows were raised. Now, the fans are raising even more questions in the backdrop of her failures in the Asia Cup.

Scores of 22 off 18 against Thailand, 10 off 12 against Hong Kong, China, four off three against Pakistan and 20 off 24 against Bangladesh, while batting at number three, clearly did not impress the team management. Hence, they decided to drop her for the final and brought in youngster, G Kamalini, who impressed with an unbeaten cameo of 15 off five, including one four and a six.

There were glimpses of her potential, but Pratika clearly failed to grab the opportunities provided to her. She also dropped four catches across the Pakistan and Bangladesh clashes. Now, going into the Asian Games, whether she can make a comeback into the playing XI remains to be seen.

Below par middle order

India’s middle order was a major concern, given the kind of struggles they displayed throughout the tournament. Despite their openers — both or either one of them — providing solid starts, the middle order failed to capitalise and carry that momentum through the rest of the innings.

India’s middle order, from numbers four to seven, managed only 174 runs off 169 balls in the competition, which is better than only Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and UAE. Fans were particularly left stunned and frustrated by the recurring struggles of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh.

Kranti’s bowling

The pitches were spin-friendly, but pacers like Bangladesh’s Marufa Akhter and Pakistan’s Fatima Sana left a positive impression with their bowling. For India, Nandni Sharma ended up picking seven wickets, courtesy of her slower deliveries and cutters, which were expected to help her do well in Dubai conditions.

For Kranti, however, only two wickets in five games is a disappointing return. She could have done better with the new ball. The lack of variations might also be making her a bit predictable in white-ball formats, and that is an area for the young pacer to work on going forward.

Fielding and running between the wickets

India dropped 12 catches in the tournament, including three in the semi-final against Bangladesh and five in the final against Sri Lanka. Most of those chances were catchable, and this is what can make a huge difference when they play against teams like Australia, England and South Africa in T20 World Cups.

It is not just catching. Ground fielding also needs to improve, as saving runs can make a huge difference, especially in a low-scoring affair.

Another major concern has been India’s running between the wickets. Throughout the tournament, there were quite a few calls for runs that left fans stunned, with the run-out dismissal of Smriti Mandhana in the final being the prime example.

Skipper Harmanpreet hit the ball straight to point and began running. Mandhana responded, but then Harmanpreet stopped before running again, eventually leaving Mandhana confused and sacrificing her wicket for 59 off 39.

Clearly, there is a lack of communication, understanding and judgement when it comes to run-out dismissals and mix-ups India had in the Asia Cup.

Hence, with all these concerns to be looked into, the Women in Blue are now set for their Asian Games campaign in Japan, where they will play the hosts in the quarter-final. Again, they will be firm favourites to bag the gold medal. But the bigger question remains: can India’s dominance in Asia translate into a convincing T20 approach against the best teams in the world?

The Asia Cup title is another reminder of India’s dominance in the region. But it should not mask the concerns that remain. The Asian Games will be another opportunity to address them, because when the opposition gets stronger, these shortcomings could become much harder to hide.

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In a first ever instance at an international sporting event, national song Vande Mataram, penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, was played after national anthem ‘‘Jana Gana Mana’’ before start of India’s first T20I against Afghanistan here. on Sunday.

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New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu on Monday congratulated the Indian women’s cricket team for winning the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026, praising their confidence, consistency and remarkable performance throughout the tournament.

“A proud moment for Indian cricket! Congratulations to the Women’s team on winning the Asia Cup. Their confidence, consistency and remarkable spirit were on full display throughout the tournament. May this triumph inspire millions of youngsters across the country to play more and shine," PM Modi wrote on X.

President Droupadi Murmu also extended congratulations to the team for their historic achievement.

“My heartiest congratulations to all the members of Team India on winning Women’s T20 Asia Cup Championship 2026. They played superbly as a team throughout the tournament, winning all the matches. They have done the country proud. They are a source of great inspiration for our youth, especially our daughters. I am sure, they will script many more inspiring chapters of success and excellence," the President’s official handle posted on X.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to clinch their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.

India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and produced a dominant all-round display, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma powering the team to 183/5 before the bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 111.

BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla hailed the team’s consistency and described the title win as a complete team effort.

“What a performance by our Women in Blue! Undefeated throughout the tournament and now Asia Cup champions for the 8th time Every player stepped up when required. A complete team effort and a proud moment for Indian cricket. Well played, Team India!" Shukla wrote on X.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also congratulated the players and praised their discipline and confidence displayed throughout the competition.

“Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for their splendid victory in the final of the Asia Cup 2026. This historic achievement of yours is a matter of pride for all fellow citizens. The confidence, discipline, and splendid performance displayed by the team throughout the tournament is inspirational for everyone," Dhami posted.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri also lauded India’s dominant performance, highlighting their batting, bowling and fielding efforts.

“What a day it was for Indian sports! Another big win for India! A dominating show by Team India to defeat Sri Lanka by 72 runs to lift the Women’s Asia Cup Cricket 2026 in Dubai for a record eight time! Batting brilliance. Bowling firepower. Electric fielding. Nerves of steel. Every department fired. Every moment belonged to India. Take a bow, Champions! You’ve made the tricolour fly higher and a billion cheers roar louder!” Puri wrote on X.

India Women produced a commanding all-round performance to clinch the eighth Women’s Asia Cup title, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final in Dubai.

After Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma powered India to 183/5 with a record 129-run opening stand, Sree Charani led the attack with an impressive 4/20 from four overs, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with 3/19 from her four-over spell.

Chasing 184 in the high-pressure final, Sri Lanka endured an early setback in the opening over. Imesha Dulani began with a boundary, but Indian pacer Kranti Gaud responded strongly, bowling her on the fourth delivery to put the chasing side on the back foot.

After the 129-run opening stand between Smriti and Shafali, Indian batting fell flat, with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (14 in 14 balls) and Richa Ghosh (17 in 13 balls) failing to score big. A cameo from Bharti Fulmali (15* in five balls, with a four and a six) took India to 183/5 in 20 overs.

Mithali Ayodhya (1/33 in four overs) and Chamari Athapaththu (1/34 in four overs) were top bowlers for Sri Lanka. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Harmanpreet Kaur’s team India refused to collect the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi after beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final in Dubai on Sunday to stand in solidarity with the lives lost during the 2025 Pahalgam attack. The decision also followed the same stand taken by the Indian men’s team after winning the Asia Cup last year.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia explained that the decision was linked to the current relationship between India and Pakistan and the unresolved issue surrounding the men’s Asia Cup trophy. He said the women’s team wanted to maintain solidarity with the men’s side rather than accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and the country’s interior minister.

“Our men’s team won the Asia Cup a year and a half ago. And our whole situation, since the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, changed after that. So, after that, there was pressure on us from our citizens that we shouldn’t keep any relations with our neighboring country and not play cricket with them. But our government has a policy that we must play against every country in multinational tournaments,” Saikia said.

Also Read: Sree Charani creates history with 36th T20I wicket of 2026 during India’s Asia Cup win over Sri Lanka

He pointed out that while India continues to play Pakistan in multinational tournaments, there are limits to what the team is willing to accept.

“But that doesn’t mean we will follow every condition laid out for us. Our military conflict is still ongoing. One of the main leaders who is working against the interests of our country; we can’t receive the trophy from him,” Saikia said.

The BCCI had also suggested an alternative. According to Saikia, India was willing to receive the trophy from ACC deputy chairman Khalid Al Zarooni instead of Naqvi. However, that arrangement did not happen. Naqvi presented the runners-up cheque to Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, while the Indian team conducted its own medal ceremony away from the main presentation.

Saikia also made it clear that the decision was not aimed at taking away from the team’s achievement. India had remained unbeaten in the tournament and won the final comfortably.

“It doesn’t diminish the performances of our team. We have won all our matches in a one-sided manner. Women’s cricket has been growing so well in India and there’s no bigger evidence of that than this,” he said.

The BCCI secretary also said the women’s team’s decision was a show of solidarity with the men’s side.

“A year ago, we did not accept the trophy in the Men’s Asia Cup. Our women’s team has also taken a decision today to express solidarity with that decision and did not accept the trophy in a similar situation,” Saikia said.