A masterclass in all-round cricket saw India defeat Sri Lanka by 72 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 13, sealing an unbeaten campaign and reclaiming their record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.
However, geopolitical tensions overshadowed the celebrations when the champions refused to accept the winner's trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Electing to bat, India reached 183/5, powered by Shafali Verma's explosive 68 and Smriti Mandhana’s 59, who forged a 130-run opening stand. Verma smashed the fastest fifty in tournament history off just 24 balls. In response, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 111, undone by spinner Sree Charani’s 4/20 and Deepti Sharma’s 3/19.
Despite the dominant victory, the post-match presentation was delayed by 45 minutes as an impasse unfolded. Acting on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructions, Harmanpreet Kaur's side declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi, mirroring the Indian men's team's boycott at the 2025 Asia Cup.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the stance was taken in solidarity with national sentiment following the deadly April 2025 Pahalgam attack and ongoing military conflicts. Although India proposed alternative presentation figures, Naqvi declined, leaving the champions to celebrate without the physical trophy. Head coach Amol Muzumdar maintained that the team's official title triumph remained undisputed.