India beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs to win a record eighth Women’s Asia Cup title
Fans chanted “Trophy chor” at ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi during the presentation
India’s decision to avoid collecting the trophy from Naqvi sparked fresh controversy
India’s eighth Women’s Asia Cup title came with an unexpected twist after the final whistle in Dubai. The cricket itself was one-sided, with Harmanpreet Kaur’s side beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs, but the presentation ceremony quickly became the talking point.
As ACC president Mohsin Naqvi left the presentation area, fans broke into loud “Trophy chor” chants, reviving memories of the controversy involving the Indian men’s team at the same venue last year.
‘Trophy Chor’ Chants Return as Naqvi Faces Fans in Dubai
The moment came after an already unusual presentation. Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s interior minister, remained at the venue as Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu collected the runners-up cheque.
India, meanwhile, did not come out to receive the winners’ trophy or medals from him.
As Naqvi walked away from the presentation dais, the crowd made its feelings clear. The “Trophy chor” chants echoed around the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, instantly bringing back memories of the men’s Asia Cup final in 2025, when India had also refused to collect the trophy from Naqvi.
What made the latest episode particularly striking was that the women’s team had just produced a thoroughly dominant performance. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma helped India post 183/5 before the bowlers dismissed Sri Lanka for 111, sealing India’s record-extending eighth title.
Why Did India Refuse the Trophy From Mohsin Naqvi?
The decision had been anticipated even before the final. Reports said the BCCI had informed the ACC that India would not accept the trophy from Naqvi if he attended the presentation.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later explained the thinking behind the stance, linking it to the wider political situation between India and Pakistan following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack and subsequent military tensions.
“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 further said:
“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. The Women's team has expressed solidarity with the decision taken by the men's team last year.”
India therefore left Dubai as champions, even though the trophy presentation itself never quite went according to the script. The team’s coach Amol Muzumdar said the squad stood by the BCCI’s decision and had already moved on, calling the tournament “officially over” for them.
