Dubai, September 15 – The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry has always been fiery, but Sunday’s Asia Cup clash added another layer of drama—this time, off the field.
After India’s commanding seven-wicket win, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged an official protest with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), claiming that the Indian players’ refusal to shake hands was “unsporting” and against the spirit of the game.
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PCB Labels It “Unsporting”
In a late-night statement, the PCB said team manager Naveed Cheema filed a strong complaint against India’s behavior.
“Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against Indian players’ behaviour of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the spirit of the game. As a protest, we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony,” the PCB statement read.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha even skipped the post-match presentation, while head coach Mike Hesson voiced disappointment:
“We wanted to shake hands but disappointed that the opposition didn’t do that. Salman not coming for the presentation was cause and effect after what happened.”
Why India Refused Handshake
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, however, stood firm, saying the decision was a united call by the team.
He linked it to the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 Indian tourists were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists, leading to India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor.
“We took a team call. Some things are beyond sportsmanship. We dedicate this victory to our armed forces and stand with the families of the victims,” Suryakumar said.
Even during the toss, Suryakumar avoided shaking hands with Salman Ali Agha—something that didn’t sit well with Pakistan’s camp.
Rivalry Spills Beyond Cricket
This was the first India-Pakistan face-off on the cricket field since the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Indian military action on terror camps in May.
The game itself turned into a one-sided contest, with India dominating across departments. But what happened after the final ball is what everyone’s talking about.
The PCB revealed that match referee Andy Pycroft had even advised Salman not to push for a handshake at the toss. Despite that, Pakistan believes the whole episode was against cricket’s spirit.
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What Next?
With both teams likely to face each other again in the Super Four and possibly the final, this tension could easily spill into the next encounters.
One thing is clear—the cricket may have ended, but the drama is far from over.
