A new issue has arisen concerning India and Pakistan ahead of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup, which relates not to the matches themselves, but to the trophy presentation ceremony. The question is whether the Indian team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, will receive the trophy from the Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Mohsin Naqvi, if they reach and win the title.
This issue is significant because a similar dispute occurred about a year ago during the Men's Asian Cup. At that time, the Indian team, under Suryakumar Yadav, refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi of Pakistan. Now, there is a possibility of a similar situation repeating itself at the Women's Asian Cup.
The Women's Asian Cup will take place in Dubai from August 28 to September 13. India and Pakistan are in the same group, and a match between the two teams is scheduled for September 5. The possibility of another match between these teams will only arise if both teams qualify for the final. Therefore, if India reaches the final and wins, Mohsin Naqvi's presence during the trophy presentation will once again become a subject of discussion.
Mohsin Naqvi is not only the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) but also the head of the Asian Cricket Council. Furthermore, he holds the position of Minister of Interior in the Pakistani government.
This entire conflict began after the Men's Asian Cup final on September 28, 2025. During the match in Dubai, India won the title, but the Indian players refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. This decision was made by the Indian team amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, triggered by the Pulwama attacks.
Following the Indian team's refusal, Mohsin Naqvi left the trophy presentation venue, and the trophy has yet to be presented to the winning Indian team. Now, the question arises about what awaits Harmanpreet Kaur's team at the Women's Asian Cup.
If the Indian team reaches the final and becomes champion at the Women's Asian Cup, the main question will be who will present them with the trophy. Will the team led by Harmanpreet Kaur adopt the same stance as Suryakumar Yadav's team last year, or will some other trophy presentation procedure be organized?
Currently, the BCCI does not have a clear position on this potential situation. The board is currently focused on the tournament itself, and the decision regarding the trophy presentation may be made depending on circumstances.
Regarding the match between India and Pakistan, it has been decided that players from both teams will not exchange formal greetings. This makes the September 5 match particularly noteworthy.
After the Men's Asian Cup, Mohsin Naqvi stated that the Indian team could receive the trophy from the ACC office if they wished. However, Naqvi later changed his stance, insisting that India must receive the trophy directly from him. Meanwhile, during a meeting with Mohsin Naqvi at the ICC Secretary Devaajit Saikhy's meeting, it was stated that 'the ice freezing relations between both sides has melted.' Nevertheless, the issue of the Asian Cup trophy remains unresolved. That is, the old dispute is not completely closed, and now the same story might repeat itself at the Women's Asian Cup.
If the final is held between India and Pakistan, tensions will rise. The match between India and Pakistan in the Women's Asian Cup is scheduled for September 5. Unlike the Men's Asian Cup, the format of this tournament does not allow the two teams to meet before the final. The final will take place on September 13, and the entire tournament will be in T20 format.
Thus, if both teams reach the final, attention will be drawn not only to the match itself but also to the award ceremony, especially if India wins the title and ACC head Mohsin Naqvi is present on stage.
At present, this entire situation is only potential. The decision on the trophy will only be important if the Indian women's team reaches the final and is in a winning position. However, given the events of last year's Men's Asian Cup, questions about the trophy presentation ceremony in Dubai are arising now.
It remains to be seen whether the trophy dispute of 2025 will repeat if Harmanpreet Kaur's team wins the Asian Cup, or if the BCCI and ACC will find a way to avoid another awkward situation on stage.