ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi set to attend Women's Asia Cup Final as India favourites for title
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi set to attend Women's Asia Cup Final as India favourites for title")
Mohsin Naqvi set to attend Women's Asia Cup Final as India favourites for title Photograph: (AFP)
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi is set to attend the Women’s Asia Cup final in Dubai, raising questions over the trophy presentation if favourites India reach and win the summit clash.
The Asia Cup trophy controversy could be back as early as next Sunday (Sep 13), as PCB chairman and ACC president Mohsin Naqvi will be in attendance for the women’s final in Dubai, with the Indian team favourite to enter the title clash.
During the 2025 edition in Dubai, after India beat Pakistan in the final, Naqvi walked away with the Asia Cup trophy. He denied handing it over to the winning captain, Suryakumar Yadav, against the backdrop of Indian players refusing to shake hands with the Men in Green. With the BCCI maintaining the no-handshake stance with the Pakistani players, as also carried out by Harmanpreet Kaur’s women’s team in their group stage face-off, Naqvi could find himself in a similar position should India reach the summit clash and win it.
Also read| All out for 55 vs India, coach Wahab Riaz bizarrely claims Pakistan as ‘Best Team in Asia Cup’
Although Naqvi’s decision to walk away with the Asia Cup trophy last year created quite a stir, it remains to be seen what happens on the podium should the Indian women’s team win the final. Not only that, but whether to accept the trophy from Naqvi will ultimately rest with Harmanpreet Kaur and the team management.
The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI), however, has remained silent on what will happen if a similar situation unfolds again.
The Indian women’s team is head and shoulders above the rest, having already qualified for the final without losing a game. After crushing Thailand and Hong Kong in one-sided affairs in their first two matches, India reduced Pakistan to their lowest T20I total (55) in the marquee face-off in Dubai on Saturday (Sep 5).
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Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan were 27 for no loss at one stage, and strangely were all out for 55, losing all 10 wickets for 28 runs. The spin quartet of N Shree Charani (3 for 7), Prema Rawat (3 for 9), Deepti Sharma (2 for 5) and Shafali (1 for 10) triggered Pakistan’s collapse, as they set India a modest target of 56.
Although India expectedly crossed the winning line, they lost three wickets on their way, with Pakistan captain Fatima Sana accounting for three dismissals. Her send-off to Indian opener Shafali Verma, however, led her into trouble as the ICC penalised her by deducting 10 per cent of her match fee and handing her a demerit point, her second in 24 months.
Should Pakistan beat Hong Kong in their final group game in Dubai on Monday, they will qualify for the semifinals. India and Pakistan could meet again in the final this year if they win their respective last four matches.
