The Indian women’s cricket team returned to New Delhi on September 14 after securing the Asia Cup title on Sunday.
Players including opening pair Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, pacer Renuka Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, and Nandani Sharma were seen arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
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India delivered a commanding all-round performance to win the continental championship, scoring 183 for 5 before bowling out Sri Lanka for 111 in 20 overs. Spinner Sree Charani claimed four wickets for 20 runs in the final.
The batting was led by openers Shafali Verma,
The batting was led by openers Shafali Verma, who scored 68 runs off 39 balls with nine fours and two sixes, and Smriti Mandhana, who made 59 runs in 39 balls with five fours and three sixes. The duo set a record 129-run partnership for the first wicket.
Shafali Verma emerged as the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 236 runs in five matches at an average of 47.20 and a strike rate of 171.01, including three half-centuries and a highest score of 68. She also recorded the fastest women’s Asia Cup fifty, reaching the milestone in 24 balls.
Smriti Mandhana scored 213 runs in five matches at an average of 42.60, which included a century and a fifty. During the tournament, she surpassed Mithali Raj for the most runs in women’s international cricket and overtook Australian cricketer Meg Lanning for the most international centuries.
Spin bowlers Deepti Sharma and Sree Charani ranked
Spin bowlers Deepti Sharma and Sree Charani ranked as the top wicket-takers of the event. Sharma took 14 wickets in five matches at an average of 4.21, with best figures of three for zero, while Charani claimed 12 wickets at an average of 5.58, including her four for 20 haul in the final.
Following their victory over Sri Lanka in Dubai, the Indian team did not receive the women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
During the post-match ceremony, Sri Lankan players received their runners-up medals on stage, and captain Chamari Athapaththu was presented with a cheque by Naqvi. However, the broadcast cut to the post-match studio show before the Indian team appeared to partake in the trophy presentation. Team India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who gave a post-match interview, did not join the ceremony.
There was no footage of India holding
There was no footage of India holding the trophy or the customary celebration with confetti and fireworks after the final.
Before the presentation began, the Indian team huddled with head coach Amol Muzumdar while Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajiv Shukla awarded the ‘Fielder of the Match’ medal to pacer Nandani Sharma for taking two catches. Saikia congratulated the team on their triumph.
A similar situation occurred last year in the men’s Asia Cup final in the UAE, when India declined to receive the trophy from Naqvi due to tensions related to cross-border terrorism. After a lengthy delay, the trophy was removed from the stage by an official, and the Indian team celebrated on stage without the physical trophy.
Throughout that tournament, the Indian men’s team did
Throughout that tournament, the Indian men’s team did not shake hands with Pakistan players during the toss or after matches and dedicated their victories to Indian Armed Forces personnel involved in ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. India achieved a clean sweep against Pakistan in their trilogy of matches.
The ongoing stalemate resulted in Team India not receiving their trophy from the ACC chair at that time. The women’s team’s refusal to accept the trophy continues this trend, raising questions about the future handling of the women’s Asia Cup trophy presentation.
Source: thenewsmill.com
