The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has threatened to pull out from the ongoing Asia Cup after Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistani players. Indian players were also seen closing their dressing room door after their comprehensive win while the Pakistani players lined up and waited for the handshakes.
Suryakumar Yadav and Shivan Dube led India to the victory and helped chase down the meagre target of 128 runs in 15.5 overs. However, they went straight towards their dressing room after the win. The players did not exchange handshakes. Later, Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the win to the victims of the April 2025 Pahalgam attack.
After the match, Suryakumar Yadav said, “I feel few things, few things in life are ahead of sportsman’s spirit also. We stand with victims of Pahalgam terror attack and dedicate this victory to our Armed Forces.” He added, “Together, we came here, we took a call, and I feel we came here just to play the game. I think we gave the proper reply.”
Pahalgam attack was a terrorist attack perpetrated by Pakistan-backed Islamist militants in the Baisaran valley near Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. Terrorists singled out Hindu tourists and killed 26 people. Three militants out of the five terrorists were Pakistani nationals. They were members of the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
PCB targets match official Andy Pycroft
After PCB’s protest against Indian players was ignored, the board targeted the match official Andy Pycroft. PCB has threatened to withdraw the Pakistani players from the tournament if Pycroft was not removed from the panel of the referees.
According to PCB, Pycroft sided with the Indian team when he told the two captains, Suryakumar Yadav of India and Pakistan Salam Agha, to refrain from shaking hands at the toss.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday, “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.”
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Meanwhile, former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar defended the Pakistani players. He appeared disappointed with the Indian players in a Pakistani show where he said, “I’m speechless. It is disheartening to see and I don’t know what to say. Hats off to India. Just don’t make things political.”
The former fast bowler went on to add, “Cricket match hain isko political mat banao. Hum ne acchi statement di hai aapkee liye. Hum bohut kuchh bol sakte hai. Hoti rehte hain ladayi jhagre, ghar me bhi ho jaati hain. (Don’t make a cricket match political. We have said nice things about you. We can say a lot of things about the no handshake. Fights happen, even inside your house. Forget it, move on. It is the game of cricket, shake your hands, show your grace.)”
Akhtar also defended Pakistani Captain Salman Agha who refused to give the post match interview. He said, “Thik kiya Salman Ali Agha ne, wo nahi gaya post match mein, good (Salman Ali Agha did the right thing, he did not go to the post match ceremony, good)”
Indian X users had a field day reacting to Shoaib Akhtar
One X user posted, “Shoaib Akhtar crying as Indian players refused handshake with Pak players Match bhi haare, izzat bhi haare”.
Shoaib Akhtar crying as Indian players refused handshake with Pak players
— Frontalforce 🇮🇳 (@FrontalForce) September 15, 2025
Match bhi haare, izzat bhi haare 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/7VgtfOy2wj
Another said, “Shoaib Akhtar crying over the handshake saga. Same guy was chilling with Asim Munir & Afridi months back. Well done Surya – strike as deep as Nur Khan Air Base!”
Shoaib Akhtar crying over the handshake saga 😂 Same guy was chilling with Asim Munir & Afridi months back. Well done Surya – strike as deep as Nur Khan Air Base! 🔥🇮🇳 #INDvsPAK #IndianCricket #IndiaVsPakistan #aisacup2025 #indvspak2025 https://t.co/6O4XkugN8U pic.twitter.com/t9V8pCk0U8
— Gaurav (@k_gauravs) September 15, 2025
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The snub by Team India refusing to shake hands has rattled Pakistan.
— भरत 🇮🇳 (@mata_bhakta) September 15, 2025
Just days ago, Shoaib Akhtar was grandstanding alongside Asim Munir, issuing threats to India.
Now, post the handshake controversy, he's lecturing India on grace. Hypocrisy knows no bounds. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/ezr5WfP4c2
Shoaib Akhtar’s hypocrisy was also mocked. One user said, “Just days ago, Shoaib Akhtar was grandstanding alongside Asim Munir, issuing threats to India. Now, post the handshake controversy, he’s lecturing India on grace. Hypocrisy knows no bounds.”
Pak cricketers deserved this after they mocked at the victims of Pahalgam terror attack rather than showing empathy @shoaib100mph
— SuryaVeer 🇮🇳 (@Veer09Rudra) September 15, 2025
Shoaib Akhtar explodes after India show Pakistan its place with no handshake: ‘Show some grace; Salman did right thing’.https://t.co/QBxMp7U3jS
“Pak cricketers deserved this after they mocked at the victims of Pahalgam terror attack rather than showing empathy.”
Pakistani players may not play their next match against UAE if the authorities do not fulfil their demands. However, it remains to be seen whether the ICC takes seriously Pakistan’s threat to leave the Asia Cup, or whether Pakistan actually follows through and walks away from the tournament.
