The Pakistan Cricket Board has complained to the International Cricket Council following a controversial end to their Asia Cup match against India in Dubai where their opponents refused to shake hands.
Controversy erupted as India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not greet his counterpart Salman Agha during the coin toss on Sunday.
After India completed a comfortable seven-wicket win, India's players refused to come out of the dressing room to shake the hands of Pakistan players who were waiting for them on the ground at the Dubai International Stadium.
In his post-match press conference, Suryakumar said his players had taken the stand to show "solidarity" with the victims of the Pahalgam attack earlier in the year.
Pakistan coach Mike Hesson said he was disappointed with the actions of the Indian team. Later, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said a formal complaint had been lodged with the world governing body about the conduct of the match referee.
According to Naqvi, match referee Andy Pycroft had requested captains Suryakumar and Agha to not shake hands during the coin toss.
Late on Sunday, the PCB chief said: "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."
Then on Monday, Naqvi revealed the PCB had taken the matter further.
"The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the match referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the spirit of cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the match referee from the Asia Cup," he said in a post on X.
India captain Suryakumar was unusually forthright during his presser, especially since players are dissuaded from making political statements around a match.
“We took a call. We came here just to play the game. We gave the proper reply,” Suryakumar, who top-scored with 47 as India chased down Pakistan's total of 127-9 with ease, said.
“I feel a few things in life are ahead of sportsman’s spirit,” he added.
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India captain Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with 47 to secure a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in their Asia Cup clash at the Dubai International Stadium. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Suryakumar Yadav, right, and Shivam Dube after their win over Pakistan -
Pakistan's Saim Ayub picked up three wickets against India -
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Mohammad Haris -
Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 40 -
India's Axar Patel took the wicket of Pakistan captain Salman Agha in an economical spell -
Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz is caught by Axar Patel -
Kuldeep Yadav picked up 3-18 -
Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi played a nice cameo of 33 from 16 balls -
Fans at the Dubai International Stadium -
The Dubai International Stadium was packed on Sunday
“I said at the [on-field, post-match] presentation as well that we stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. We stand with their families, also, and express our solidarity."
Tensions were high heading into the contest that was the first between the sides since a four-day military conflict in May. That military escalation came after an April terrorist attack that killed 26 Indians in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Pakistan coach Hesson said he was saddened by the way the match ended. “We were ready to shake hands,” he added. “Our opposition didn’t do that. We went over there to shake hands and they had already gone into the changing room.
“It was a disappointing way for the match to finish. We were disappointed with the way we played, but we were certainly willing to go over and shake hands.”
Pakistan captain Agha also skipped the post-match presentation in response to the handshake controversy.
