Why 'Pakistan Cricket' Trended in India: The Women's Asia Cup Match and the Trophy Refusal Row

On 16 September 2026, the term "pakistan cricket" trended on Google in India with roughly 1,000 searches and 100% growth over 24 hours, according to Google Trends India. The spike was driven by two connected events: India's dominant win over Pakistan in the Women's Asia Cup league stage, and the controversy that erupted after the final, when the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi.

The India–Pakistan match that started it

India's league-stage match against Pakistan was one-sided. Pakistan were bowled out for just 55 runs, with spinners Sree Charani and Prema Rawat taking three wickets each, and India chased the target down with seven wickets in hand and more than 11 overs to spare, according to the BCCI's tournament report. The game was also a personal milestone: Harmanpreet Kaur became the first captain in either men's or women's cricket to lead in 150 matches.

India went unbeaten through the tournament and beat defending champions Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final in Dubai, powered by a 129-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma and four wickets from Sree Charani. It was India's record-extending eighth Women's Asia Cup title.

The trophy refusal and the 45-minute delay

The cricket, however, was overshadowed by what happened after the final. As reported by the Times of India on 16 September 2026, the Indian players stayed in the dressing room when the presentation ceremony began, having made clear they would not accept the trophy from Naqvi — who is both ACC president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman. The ceremony was delayed by around 45 to 50 minutes, and when it finally began, only Sri Lanka came out to collect their runners-up medals. India left without the trophy despite winning it.

Head coach Amol Muzumdar said the BCCI had decided against accepting the trophy from Naqvi and the players followed the board's position. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia added that India's stance had been communicated to Naqvi well before the final.

Why Naqvi's role matters

Naqvi is not only the PCB chairman but also Pakistan's Federal Minister of Interior and Narcotics Control, a dual role that The Hindu's commentary noted "queers the pitch." The refusal mirrored the previous year's men's Asia Cup, when India similarly declined the trophy from Naqvi following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The Hindu's columnist was critical of the stance, calling the refusal behaviour that "reflects poorly on the Indian cricket firmament." On the other side, former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf defended Naqvi and accused India of "arrogance" in a post on X on 16 September 2026.

What the trend tells us — and what it doesn't

Indian users searching "pakistan cricket" in mid-September 2026 were largely looking for the India–Pakistan match result and the escalating trophy row, not news about Pakistan's own team. It is worth noting that Google Trends figures are approximate and confirm search interest only — they do not verify any of the claims in the controversy, which rest on statements from the BCCI, the ACC and media reports.