Mohsin Naqvi is reportedly expected to attend the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final in Dubai on September 13, raising the possibility of another awkward trophy-presentation moment if India qualify for the title clash and win. According to a Geo Super report cited by The Times of India and Hindustan Times, Naqvi is expected to be the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the tournament. In his role as president of the Asian Cricket Council, he could also be involved in presenting the winners’ trophy.

That detail immediately brings back memories of the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup final, when India defeated Pakistan in Dubai but refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi. The same official now potentially standing on the podium for the Womens Asia Cup final creates a scenario few expected to revisit so quickly. There is, however, one important point to keep clear:

The India womens team has qualified for the semi-finals, not yet the final. India’s semi-final is scheduled for September 10, while the tournament final will be played at the Dubai International Stadium on September 13.

Mohsin Naqvi Expected at Women’s Asia Cup Final

Naqvi currently holds several powerful positions across Pakistan politics and Asian cricket. He is:

• Pakistan’s Interior Minister
• Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board
• President of the Asian Cricket Council The ACC’s official board-members page continues to list Mohsin Naqvi as president, while the PCB lists him as its chairman. That ACC position is what makes his possible appearance on the presentation stage significant. Reports citing Geo Super say he has been designated or is expected to serve as chief guest for the closing ceremony on September 13. But the wording needs to remain cautious. As of September 7, the ACC itself has not publicly issued a detailed announcement confirming the presentation arrangements. So the safe formulation is:

Naqvi is reportedly expected to attend and could present the trophy. Not: Naqvi will definitely hand the trophy to India.

Why the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup Trophy Row Still Matters

The controversy dates back to September 28, 2025. India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Mens Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Stadium. But after the match, the Indian team refused to accept the winners’ trophy from Naqvi, who was standing on the presentation stage in his capacity as ACC president. The presentation ceremony was delayed for more than an hour before it was eventually cut short without India receiving the team trophy on stage.

India’s players did accept individual awards from other presenters, but the team did not collect the main trophy from Naqvi. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later said India had decided not to receive the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC president because of Naqvi’s political role in Pakistan. The BCCI also said it intended to raise the matter formally.

The Trophy Was Still in Dubai Weeks Later

The dispute did not end when the stadium lights went off. By October 2025, the Asia Cup trophy was still at the ACC headquarters in Dubai. PTI-based reporting said Naqvi had instructed officials that the trophy should not be moved or handed over without his approval and that he wanted to present it personally. The New Indian Express reported as recently as August 2026 that the men’s trophy had still not been handed over to the champions.

That unresolved background is why his reported presence at the women asia cup final has attracted so much attention. It is not simply about who stands on a podium. It is about a previous trophy dispute that, according to recent reporting, has never been fully closed.

Why India Refused the Trophy in 2025

The 2025 tournament took place against an unusually tense India-Pakistan political backdrop. Reuters reported that India’s refusal came amid heightened bilateral tensions following the military confrontation between the two countries earlier that year. The Indian Express also reported that Naqvi’s provocative social-media activity was among the factors that upset the Indian camp.

His posts included military imagery that Indian officials and players reportedly viewed as inflammatory. That context is important because the refusal was not simply a spontaneous sporting disagreement. Politics and cricket had already become deeply intertwined by the time the final took place.

Is India Already in the Women’s Asia Cup Final?

No. This is the most important factual correction to the current version of the story. India are already safely into the semi-finals, following dominant performances in the group stage. They beat Hong Kong by 137 runs after Smriti Mandhana scored 124 and then defeated Pakistan by seven wickets after bowling them out for just 55. The semi-finals will be played on:

• September 10
• September 11

The Womens Asia Cup final takes place on September 13 at 8 PM IST at Dubai International Stadium. So the current story is still hypothetical. India must first win their semi-final before any trophy-presentation dilemma can actually arise.

What Happens If India Reach the Final and Win?

At the moment, nobody knows. Neither the BCCI nor India’s team management has publicly said how the players would respond if Naqvi is on the presentation podium. That makes claims such as “India will refuse the trophy again” too speculative. It is possible the BCCI could take the same position it took in 2025. It is also possible the ACC could adjust the presentation protocol.

Another official could theoretically present the trophy. Or the India womens team could handle the situation differently from the men’s side. None of those outcomes has been confirmed. The responsible way to frame it is: Naqvi’s reported presence creates the possibility of another presentation dispute, but no Indian decision has yet been announced.

What Happens Next?

Three developments now matter. First, India must win their semi-final. Second, the ACC needs to clarify whether Mohsin Naqvi is officially attending the closing ceremony and whether he will present the championship trophy. Third, the BCCI may eventually have to decide how the team should respond if India win and Naqvi is the designated presenter.

Until then, the most accurate conclusion is straightforward:

Naqvi is reportedly expected at the September 13 final, India are in the semi-finals, and another trophy dispute is possible — but not yet certain. The similarities with the 2025 Mens Asia Cup are obvious. Whether history actually repeats itself will depend first on what happens on the field, and then on who is standing beside the trophy when the final ends.