India’s cricket triumph in the Asia Cup has sparked a fresh controversy, this time over handshakes and respect for the game. After a thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan in the final last week in Dubai, former Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra fired back at Pakistan T20I captain Salman Agha. Salman accused India of disrespecting cricket by skipping the traditional post-match handshakes, but Mishra called that out, saying there’s no rule forcing teams to play nice.
The drama kicked off during the group stage and carried through the Super Fours and into the final. Indian players stuck to their stance, avoiding handshakes with the Pakistan side. This move ties back to tensions with ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister. After Rinku Singh hit the winning runs, the post-match ceremony dragged on for over an hour. When it finally started, Indian stars like Kuldeep Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma picked up their individual awards from other officials on stage—skipping Naqvi entirely. Pakistan players, including Salman, got their runners-up honors from him, and the crowd booed Naqvi and the Pakistan team throughout.
Salman vented his frustration at the press conference, saying India’s actions were “very disappointing” and that good teams don’t act this way. “They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands; they’re disrespecting cricket,” he added. He noted that Pakistan posed with the trophy on their own to meet their duties, but felt India crossed a line.
Mishra, speaking to , shut that down quick. “Is there any rule that we have to shake hands? We play cricket, we don’t want to be friends with you,” he said bluntly. He pointed out India beat Pakistan in all three matches this tournament and questioned why they’d force a friendly gesture. “It’s our wish. We won’t do it,” Mishra added. He even saluted the Indian team for holding firm: “We respected you by playing, but you don’t deserve more than that.”
Mishra emphasized that the team prioritized cricket by showing up despite the backlash. “People said India shouldn’t have played, but we followed the rules. As sportsmen, we kept cricket first,” he said. The India-Pakistan rivalry in the Asia Cup always delivers high stakes, and this handshake snub has only fueled the fire between the two nations’ cricket fans.
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