India-Pakistan handshake row: On September 14, as the sun went down at the Dubai International Stadium, the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. As India’s fans stood divided on whether the match should have been boycotted, the skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, walked out onto the field for the toss.
What exactly happened?
While the coin flip went Pakistan’s way, it was India’s captain who caught the eye as he showed no inclination to shake the hands of his Pakistani counterpart, Salman Agha. Picking up on Suryakumar's firmness, Agha did not extend his hand either.
The match was ruled and dominated by India through and through. In the first innings, it was Hardik Pandya who scalped a wicket off the very first legal delivery, and in the second, it was Abhishek Sharma who showed no respect whatsoever to Shaheen Afridi, dancing down the track and hitting him for a boundary.
It was clear that India went in with the conviction of giving their neighbours a thrashing on the field. Once Suryakumar hit the winning runs, the drama heightened. He and Shivam Dube just walked off the field. While it seemed like the Pakistan team paused for a second to understand what was going on, the Indian batters kept walking.
It was then observed that Mike Hesson, the head coach of the Pakistan team, and the skipper had gone towards the Indian dressing room, but no player came out.
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How did Pakistan coach react?
Hesson was left frustrated at the conduct of the Indian team and believed that the match ended on a bad note. “We were ready to shake hands, disappointed that the opposition didn’t do that,” he said in the press conference. Hesson was also seen having a conversation with the match referee Andy Pycroft.
What did India captain say?
On the other hand, India’s skipper dedicated the win to the country’s armed forces and the victims of the April terror attack. “Perfect occasion, taking the time out, we stand by the victims of the families of Pahalgam terror attack,” he said. “We express our solidarity. I want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to put a smile on their face.”
When asked about the handshake situation, Suryakumar simply said: “Some things are beyond the spirit of sportsmanship.” He went on to explain that the call was taken in line with the government of India and the BCCI.
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Pakistan lodge protest
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a protest with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) over the act. "Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against Indian players' behaviour of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the sport of the game. As a protest we did not send our captain to the post match ceremony," read a PCB statement.
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