Asia Cup 2025: Former Pakistan great launches brutal attack on BCCI for handshake snub

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi launched a sharp criticism of Suryakumar Yadav and the Indian cricket team for deliberately avoiding the customary post-match handshakes with Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan team following their Group A Asia Cup 2025 clash on Sunday at Dubai International Stadium. After India secured a seven-wicket victory, Suryakumar and his teammates refused to acknowledge their Pakistani counterparts, shutting the door on the traditional gesture of sportsmanship.

The incident infuriated Pakistan coach Mike Hesson, and it escalated to the point where skipper Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation, refusing to engage with former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar. In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a stern warning that they would withdraw from the Asia Cup unless match referee Andy Pycroft was removed for the rest of the tournament. Should Pycroft continue to officiate Pakistan’s next match against the UAE and the PCB follows through on their threat, it could result in Pakistan’s elimination from the competition.

Following India’s triumph, Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces and expressed solidarity with victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Afridi, however, expressed strong disapproval of the Indian side’s behaviour, calling their actions a global embarrassment.

“When the Asia Cup began, social media was flooded with boycott campaigns ahead of the India-Pakistan clash. Given the immense pressure, it is clear that the players and the BCCI were instructed not to shake hands with our team,” Afridi remarked during a recent interview.

Afridi fully supports the position taken by the PCB and its chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The former Pakistan skipper criticized the Indian players for lacking sportsmanship.

“In my view, there was no spirit of sportsmanship on display. Once again, they brought shame upon themselves in front of the world. I believe the PCB’s stance was absolutely justified. Our chairman has taken the correct position. Overall, it was an excellent move,” Afridi added.

He emphasized, “I have always believed that players should act as great ambassadors, not be an embarrassment. I don’t blame the Indian cricketers personally; they were just following orders from higher up.”