Dubai, September 13, 2026: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi will attend the Women’s Asia T20 Cup final as chief guest and present the trophy to the winners.
Naqvi will also attend the tournament’s closing ceremony and formally hand over the silverware to the champions following the final between India and Sri Lanka. His presence has generated interest over whether the Indian women’s team would accept the trophy from Naqvi if they defeat Sri Lanka in the title clash.
A similar situation occurred during the men’s Asia Cup final in 2025, when India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in Dubai. Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was scheduled to present the trophy to the Indian team.
However, the Indian players did not receive the trophy from Naqvi, resulting in an unusual delay during the post-match presentation. They accepted their individual awards but did not collect the team trophy. The incident came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan during the tournament, with India also declining to shake hands with Pakistan players during their matches.
After completing their successful chase in the final, the Indian players celebrated by mimicking the lifting of an imaginary trophy. Naqvi subsequently left the venue with the official trophy, while India celebrated their ninth Asia Cup title without the silverware.
The episode became one of the most talked-about moments of the 2025 Asia Cup and has added further interest to the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup final.
