Even kids dont behave like this: Ex-India star slams Pakistan for boycott drama ahead of UAE clash in Asia Cup
A former India cricketer slammed Pakistan over their boycott drama ahead of their final group-stage clash against UAE in the Asia Cup 2025 on Wednesday.
Former India cricketer Murali Kartik slammed the Pakistan team and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their boycott drama ahead of their clash against UAE in the Asia Cup 2025 on Wednesday. After reportedly deciding to initially boycott their final group-stage match against UAE, Pakistan did turn up for the game in the end, leading to a delay of an hour.
Pakistan threatened to boycott the match against UAE after ICC rejected their plea, demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the tournament. PCB lodged two separate complaints, alleging Pycroft breached the ICC Code of Conduct and didn't uphold MCC laws about the spirit of the game during Pakistan's clash against India last week, where Suryakumar Yadav & Co. refused to shake hands with the Pakistani players.
The Pakistan team refused to leave for the stadium initially, but arrived late for the UAE game after negotiations between the ICC and the PCB. Sharing his two cents on the matter, Kartik slammed Pakistan for 'behaving like a child'. The former India spinner mocked PCB for not sticking to their stance after taking a stand.
"If you want to take a stand, please go ahead. I think for everybody in life, you take a stand, but stick to it. Have the conviction to stick to it. Just because you see that there could be a financial implication, which is 16 million USD over a handshake saga or for something like this, I can't think of anything. Even kids in kindergarten nowadays don't behave like this, so it's a bit funny and again you're holding so many people to ransom for no rhyme or reason, absolutely no rhyme or reason," Kartik said on Cricbuzz.
A controversy erupted after the Indian players ditched the customary handshake against Pakistan post their 7-wicket win against the Men in Green in Dubai on September 14. After Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss, his men refused to come out on the field for the customary handshake after the match.
India's handshake snub gesture angered the Pakistan team management and PCB, who lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, demanding action against match referee Pycroft for not taking action against India. However, ICC rejected their complaint, stating that Pycroft went according to the rulebook.
PCB claims Andy Pycroft 'apologised' for his actions
After the impasse was broken and the Pakistan team arrived at the Dubai International Stadium for the UAE clash, PCB released a statement, claiming that match referee Pycroft 'apologised' for his actions during the India-Pakistan game. In a statement, PCB claimed the match referee apologised to the Pakistan captain and the team manager for prohibiting the two captains from shaking hands at the toss.
"ICC's controversial match referee Andy Pycroft has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistani cricket team. Andy Pycroft had prohibited the captains of both teams from shaking hands during the India-Pakistan match," PCB said in a statement.