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India skipped the post-match handshake after beating Pakistan in the Asia Cup, prompting PCB to protest to ICC and threaten a boycott if match referee Andy Pycroft is not removed.
India’s no-handshake move in their Asia Cup fixture has left the Pakistan team management fuming. On Sunday, Suryakumar Yadav sealed the group-stage game for India with a six and then headed straightaway to the dressing room with partner Shivam Dube, giving the customary handshake with the opponents a miss. The Indian skipper even stated that the 7-wicket win was dedicated to the country’s armed forces while the team stood in solidarity with the families of the Pulawama terror attacks.
The handshake gate seems to have hurt the Pakistan cricket team’s ego, as they have escalated the matter. They have not only lodged a protest against the Indian team with the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Andy Pycroft, but also demanded the official’s removal.
“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,” Mohsin Naqvi, who is the chairman of the PCB, said in a social media post on Monday.
According to Cricbuzz, the PCB has even threatened to boycott its upcoming match against the UAE on September 17 if its demand for the Zimbabwean official’s removal is not fulfilled. Pycroft is currently appointed as the match referee for that game.
“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,” the PCB chief wrote on social media after the match.
In a statement issued late Sunday night, the Pakistan Cricket Board condemned India’s actions after the seven-wicket defeat, calling them “unsporting.”
“Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against the Indian players’ behaviour of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the spirit of the game,” a PCB statement said.
The sequence of events could unfold again, as both teams have the potential to face each other two more times before the tournament ends.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
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