The Women’s Asia Cup is heading for its crescendo in Dubai. The cricket is compelling, the stakes are high – and once again, the trophy presentation threatens to share the spotlight with the final itself.
At the centre of it all stands Mohsin Naqvi.
The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Asian Cricket Council president is expected to attend the final on September 13 as chief guest, according to Geo Super. On paper, that’s routine protocol for an ACC event. In reality, his presence drags last year’s stormy scenes straight back into focus.
Echoes of a trophy left behind
The last time India and Naqvi shared a podium, the night ended without a trophy in Indian hands.
On September 28, 2025, at the Dubai International Stadium, Suryakumar Yadav’s India beat Pakistan in the Men’s Asia Cup final. The cricket was decisive; the aftermath was anything but. The post-match presentation stalled for more than an hour as discussions rumbled on over who would hand over the silverware.
India made their call. They chose not to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who was then, as now, both ACC president and PCB chairman. The team celebrated the title on the podium without the cup. Naqvi left the ground with it.
That image – Indian players posing on an empty plinth while the trophy sat elsewhere – became one of the defining moments of the tournament. The cup itself still hasn’t crossed hands. It remains at the ACC office in Dubai, a physical reminder of a stand-off that went far beyond sport.
All of it unfolded against a fraught backdrop. The Men’s Asia Cup followed the Pahalgam terror attack, and Naqvi, serving as Pakistan’s Interior Minister at the time, had shared anti-India statements on social media during the competition. By the time the final arrived, tension was baked into every protocol.
Now, the script threatens a sequel.
Another India–Naqvi flashpoint looming
If Harmanpreet Kaur’s India reach the Women’s Asia Cup final and lift the trophy, Naqvi, by virtue of his ACC role, would be the natural choice to present the silverware to the champions.
That’s where the cricketing storyline collides with the politics of the podium.
The decision on whether to accept the trophy from him will rest with the Indian players and team management. The BCCI has stayed silent so far, offering no indication of how the women’s side might respond if they find themselves in the same position their male counterparts faced last year.
Naqvi’s dual status – PCB chairman and ACC president – makes him both a powerful administrator and a loaded symbol in any India–Pakistan context. His presence on that stage, trophy in hand, would instantly turn a routine presentation into must-watch theatre.
India in command on the field
On the pitch, India have done everything to ensure they remain part of that conversation.
Harmanpreet’s side have been ruthless in their march through the eight-team tournament, unbeaten and already assured of a semi-final place. They opened with a win over Thailand, then brushed aside Hong Kong, and delivered their loudest statement against Pakistan.
In Dubai, facing Fatima Sana’s team, India’s bowlers ripped through Pakistan for just 55. The chase was a formality. A seven-wicket win underlined the gulf on the day and reinforced India’s status as favourites for the title.
The campaign has also carried a landmark moment for one of their biggest stars. Smriti Mandhana moved past Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket, a towering achievement arriving in the middle of a tournament where India have barely put a foot wrong.
Now the group stage is done, the tournament tightens. Knockout cricket leaves no room for missteps, no margin for an off day. India have set the standard; they must now hold it.
All eyes on September 13
If the Women in Blue complete the job and walk out for the final in Dubai, the evening will be loaded from the first ball. A title is on the line. So is the memory of a trophy that never changed hands.
Should India win, cameras will zoom in on the presentation area long before the last run is scored. Will Harmanpreet’s team step forward to receive the cup from Naqvi? Will the governing bodies quietly adjust the protocol to avoid a repeat of last year’s tableau?
For now, those questions hang over the tournament like the desert heat over Dubai. India’s job is clear: keep winning, reach the summit clash, and earn the right to decide how that moment plays out.
The cricket will dictate who stands on the podium. What happens next could define far more than just a photograph with a trophy.
