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DUBAI: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi voiced his disappointment after Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
In the high-octane Asia Cup clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India, chasing 128, wrapped up the contest in the 16th over with captain Suryakumar Yadav clearing the ropes for the winning runs.
Yadav and Shivam Dube exchanged fist bumps before heading straight to the dressing room, bypassing the customary handshake with Pakistan players..
After the match, Mohsin Naqvi took to X (formerly Twitter) and called out the lack of sportsmanship, stressing that politics should not overshadow the spirit of cricket.
“Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Let’s hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace,” he wrote.
While Pakistan players waited for the traditional gesture, the Indian side avoided any interaction, drawing a stern response from the PCB.
Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema formally lodged a protest over what he termed “inappropriate behaviour.”
“Indian players’ refusal to shake hands is against sportsmanship,” Cheema said in a PCB statement.
Adding to the controversy, Cheema also questioned match referee Andy Pycroft’s instruction for captains to avoid handshakes at the toss, calling it against cricket’s spirit.
In protest, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation, breaking away from the usual practice of captains reflecting on the game.
READ: Pakistan team manager protests over India’s ‘unsporting’ behaviour
