Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has criticised the Indian cricket crew for refusing post-match handshakes after India’s seven-wicket victory towards Pakistan within the Asia Cup Group A match at Dubai Worldwide Stadium on Sunday. The incident led to tensions between the groups, with Pakistan Cricket Board threatening to withdraw from the event over match referee Andy Pyrcroft’s position and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha skipping the post-match presentation.
The scenario escalated when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and his crew declined customary post-match greetings with their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistan coach Mike Hesson expressed disappointment over the incident.“When the Asia Cup started, social media was stuffed with the boycott campaigns forward of the match between India and Pakistan. Contemplating there was strain, it’s no shock that the gamers and the BCCI have been instructed to not shake arms with our crew,” Afridi said throughout a dialogue on Samaa TV.The match was preceded by widespread requires boycott on social media in India, with followers opposing the sport as a consequence of nationwide sentiments.“For my part, there was no sportsman spirit. They’d as soon as once more be shamed in entrance of the world. I feel our stance was bang on. Our PCB chairman has taken the appropriate stand. General, it is excellent,” Afridi commented.
Clips of the handshake between Suryakumar Yadav and Mohsin Naqvi rapidly went viral, fuelling backlash amongst Indian followers. (Picture credit score: ACC)
“I’ve at all times stated that gamers ought to be nice ambassadors and never a humiliation. I do not wish to fault the Indian cricketers; they got orders from up above,” he added.The Pakistan Cricket Board had threatened to tug out of the Asia Cup if the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) didn’t take away match referee Andy Pycroft for the remaining event matches. Their official criticism with the ICC, nonetheless, has been quashed. But, as TimesofIndia.com reported, Pycroft won’t be a part of the officers crew for Pakistan’s match towards the UAE on Wednesday.Following India’s victory, Suryakumar devoted the win to the Indian Armed Forces, expressing solidarity with Pahalgam terror victims.The controversy prolonged to occasions earlier than the event when Suryakumar confronted criticism on social media for shaking arms with ACC head Mohsin Naqvi and Pakistan captain Agha throughout the official captain’s press convention.“The identical Suryakumar Yadav shook arms with Salman Agha and Mohsin Naqvi on the captain’s press convention. Now in entrance of the gang, the federal government was not capable of deal with the social media strain. Indian gamers have now change into a humiliation in entrance of the world,” Afridi concluded.