Asia Cup| 'Don't fault Indian cricketers, they were given orders': Afridi on handshake row

Former Pakistan cricket skipper Shahid Afridi has criticised the Indian cricket team for refusing post-match handshakes aft India's seven-wicket triumph against Pakistan successful the Asia Cup Group A lucifer astatine Dubai International Stadium connected Sunday. The incidental led to tensions betwixt the teams, with Pakistan Cricket Board threatening to retreat from the tourney implicit lucifer referee Andy Pyrcroft's relation and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha skipping the post-match presentation.

The concern escalated erstwhile Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his squad declined customary post-match greetings with their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistan manager Mike Hesson expressed disappointment implicit the incident."When the Asia Cup began, societal media was filled with the boycott campaigns up of the lucifer betwixt India and Pakistan. Considering determination was pressure, it is nary astonishment that the players and the BCCI were told not to shingle hands with our team," Afridi stated during a treatment connected Samaa TV.The lucifer was preceded by wide calls for boycott connected societal media successful India, with fans opposing the crippled owed to nationalist sentiments.

"In my opinion, determination was nary sportsman spirit. They would erstwhile again beryllium shamed successful beforehand of the world. I deliberation our stance was bang on. Our PCB president has taken the close stand. Overall, it's outstanding," Afridi commented.

"I person ever said that players should beryllium large ambassadors and not an embarrassment. I don't privation to responsibility the Indian cricketers; they were fixed orders from up above," helium added.The Pakistan Cricket Board had threatened to propulsion retired of the Asia Cup if the International Cricket Council (ICC) did not region lucifer referee Andy Pycroft for the remaining tourney matches. Their authoritative ailment with the ICC, however, has been quashed.

Yet, arsenic TimesofIndia.com reported, Pycroft volition not beryllium portion of the officials squad for Pakistan's lucifer against the UAE connected Wednesday.Following India's victory, Suryakumar dedicated the triumph to the Indian Armed Forces, expressing solidarity with Pahalgam panic victims.The contention extended to events earlier the tourney erstwhile Suryakumar faced disapproval connected societal media for shaking hands with ACC caput Mohsin Naqvi and Pakistan skipper Agha during the authoritative captain's property conference."The aforesaid Suryakumar Yadav shook hands with Salman Agha and Mohsin Naqvi astatine the captain's property conference. Now successful beforehand of the crowd, the authorities was not capable to grip the societal media pressure. Indian players person present go an embarrassment successful beforehand of the world," Afridi concluded.