Pakistan has formally protested to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) following the Indian players’ refusal to shake hands after their Asia Cup match. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) characterized the gesture as “unsporting” and indicative of escalated tensions between the two nations.
In a statement released late Sunday, the PCB condemned the Indian team’s conduct as contrary to the spirit of the game after their decisive seven-wicket victory led by captain Suryakumar Yadav. “Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against the Indian players’ behavior in not shaking hands. It was deemed unsporting and against the spirit of the game. As a mark of protest, we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony,” the PCB stated.
This incident may reignite discussions, as India and Pakistan are likely to face each other again in the tournament’s remaining matches.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav explained the team’s decision not to engage in the customary handshake, stating it was an expression of solidarity with the families affected by the recent Pahalgam attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists. “We took a team call. We had come only to play. We had given them a reply. Some things are beyond sportsmanship. We dedicate this victory to our armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor and stand with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack,” Yadav remarked after their emphatic victory.
On social media, Yadav shared, “This win is dedicated to the armed forces of India and the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Jai Hind.”
The match saw India return to competition against Pakistan for the first time since the deadly attack in May and the subsequent Indian military operations targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Even during the toss, Suryakumar refrained from interacting or shaking hands with Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha. In response to the no-handshake incident post-match, Agha also boycotted the presentation ceremony.
Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson expressed his disappointment with the situation, stating, “We wanted to shake hands but the opposition didn’t do that. Disappointed with the way we played, but we wanted to shake hands.”
Furthermore, the PCB alleged that match referee Andy Pycroft directed Salman not to shake hands with the Indian captain during the toss, claiming this was also against the spirit of sportsmanship.
The Indian government’s decision to schedule a match against Pakistan has faced significant backlash domestically. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra commented on the situation, saying, “We played Pakistan because the Government of India wanted it. Get that very clear. To then make a cheap, churlish spectacle by not shaking Pakistan’s hand post-match is laughable.”
Journalist Rana Ayyub remarked on social media regarding the contrasting reactions to the India-Pakistan match and past calls for boycotts against Indian artists collaborating with Pakistani counterparts, stating, “All the fellow actors of Diljit Dosanjh who mocked and derided him for featuring a Pakistani actress in a film are silent over the India-Pakistan match today. The Twitter patriots will be glued to their TV sets this evening; the test of patriotism is only for the ‘others’.”
Tags: Pakistan protests, ACC, Indian players, handshake refusal, Asia Cup
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