Reuters

BENGALURU: India&#39;s players need to block out the noise as they prepare to again face rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup amid controversy over their previous clash, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said on Saturday.&nbsp;The eight-team tournament has been dominated by headlines about India and Pakistan&#39;s first meetings on the pitch since the military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May this year.&nbsp;India prevailed in the politically-charged Group A match last week but their players refused to shake hands with their Pakistan opponents after the match.&nbsp;Yadav dedicated India&#39;s seven-wicket victory to their armed forces, while several of his teammates took to social media to express similar thoughts.&nbsp;Pakistan considered withdrawing from the tournament to protest against the match referee, who they say condoned unsportsmanlike behavior by India, before going ahead with their match against the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;With the controversy likely to rumble on in the build-up to Sunday&#39;s clash, Suryakumar offered some blunt advice for teammates struggling to cope with external pressure.&nbsp;&quot;Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep. I think that&#39;s the best. It&#39;s easy to say, but sometimes it is difficult,&quot; he told reporters.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s on you, what you want to listen to, what you want to have in your mind.&rdquo;&nbsp;&quot;I have been very clear with all the boys. I think it&#39;s very important if you want to do well in this tournament and going forward. We will have to shut a lot of noise from outside and take what is good for you.&quot;&nbsp;Despite India&#39;s triumph in their previous encounter, Yadav insisted past results would count for nothing when the rivals meet again in the super four match.&nbsp;&quot;I feel our preparation has been really good leading into the tournament. We have also had three good games, so we are actually focusing on what we can do best,&quot; he added.&nbsp;&quot;We want to follow all the good habits that we have been doing from the last two or three games. We take it one game at a time. It doesn&#39;t give us an edge that we have played them once and we had a good game. We have to start from scratch.&quot;&nbsp;

Cricket

Pakistan has considered withdrawing from tournament; Yadav insists past results will count for nothing when the two sides meet again.



'Switch off your phones and sleep,' India captain tells team before Pakistan clash

Zeeshan Riaz

ISLAMABAD: As the final run was scored in the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 clash between India and Pakistan in Dubai, something unusual unfolded, or rather, didn&rsquo;t.In a match charged with geopolitical undercurrents, the customary post-match handshakes, a simple act of sportsmanship, never happened. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, who sealed the victory for his side, quietly walked off the field with his batting partner. No handshakes. No nods of acknowledgment. Just a straight line back to the dressing room, where the Indian team quickly shut the door behind them.Meanwhile, Pakistan&rsquo;s players, lined up and waiting, glanced at each other with visible confusion. They stood there, expecting the usual gesture of mutual respect, but it never came. Instead, the umpires allowed the Indian players to leave the field without engaging, a move the Pakistani camp later contested. After protest by Pakistan&rsquo;s team manager, match referee Andy Pycroft reportedly issued an apology. But by then, the moment had already become political.In the post-match press conference, Indian captain Yadav didn&rsquo;t mince words. He confirmed that the team&rsquo;s decision not to shake hands was deliberate, calling it a symbolic act of protest, carried out under instructions from their cricket board.The message wasn&rsquo;t subtle, and neither was the fallout.In response, Pakistan captain Agha abstained from the post-match presentation and media interaction. A quiet protest of his own. Instead, head coach Mike Hesson fielded the questions. &ldquo;We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But our opposition didn&rsquo;t. We walked over, and they had already gone into the changing room.&rdquo;The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was swift and vocal. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi took to X, formerly Twitter, to express what many fans were already feeling, that the Indian team&rsquo;s actions reflected a &ldquo;lack of sportsmanship.&rdquo; He warned that letting politics seep into the sport only served to damage the spirit of the game.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967506160015258020&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2cf9aca5fa95bc638528810fcdb7b47806774074&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>But Naqvi didn&rsquo;t stop at words. The PCB lodged a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), accusing match referee Andy Pycroft of violating the Spirit of Cricket and failing to uphold neutrality during a politically sensitive fixture. They&rsquo;ve called for his immediate removal from the tournament.Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also weighed in, speaking on a national sports show. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m speechless. It is disheartening,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Hats off to India for the win, but don&rsquo;t politicize it. Shake hands, show some grace. Forget the fights. Even at home, arguments happen. You move on.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967223858177732622&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2cf9aca5fa95bc638528810fcdb7b47806774074&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 825px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The clash between these two South Asian rivals came only after extensive clearance from the Indian government, making the match itself a rare opportunity for sporting diplomacy. But instead of serving as a bridge in strained India-Pakistan relations, the game turned into a reflection of their deepening divide.In the hours that followed, Pakistani fans took to social media to voice their frustration. Many described the lack of a handshake as a &ldquo;clear insult,&rdquo; with some even drawing comparisons to recent India-Afghanistan dynamics, where regional rivalries have also grown tense.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967299300435837421&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2cf9aca5fa95bc638528810fcdb7b47806774074&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>What was expected to be a moment of mutual acknowledgement in a sport known for its traditions turned into a quiet but resounding message: the game may have ended, but the tensions haven&rsquo;t.

 India skipped the customary post-match handshake with Pakistan after their Asia Cup clash, sparking backlash and allegations of politicizing sportsmanship from the PCB.

Articles tagged with "Cricket"

'Switch off your phones and sleep,' India captain tells team before Pakistan clash

No handshakes after India-Pakistan clash: Protest or poor sportsmanship?