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Pakistan told to 'never play against India' after Asia Cup presentation ceremony row: 'This cheap behaviour...'
Kamran Akmal said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) needs to put their foot down when it comes to playing against India in multi-nation events.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal made an urgent appeal to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), saying the body should put its foot down and refuse to play against Indian in the upcoming multi-nation events after what happened during the post-match presentation of the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025 tournament. After winning the final by five wickets against Salman Ali Agha's side, India refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
The post-match ceremony was delayed by 45 minutes as India didn't budge from their stance of not wanting to take the trophy from Naqvi, who is also the head of PCB and the Interior Minister of Pakistan. Throughout the tournament, Naqvi shared anti-India sentiments on his social media despite holding the chair of ACC head.
He openly vouched for Pakistan's interests, even requesting that the match referee, Andy Pycroft, be removed after the no-handshake row in the group stage game between India and Pakistan. However, with Suryakumar Yadav's side refusing to take the trophy from Naqvi, a major uproar emerged in Pakistan's cricketing circles, and reactions are coming in thick and fast.
“Pakistan board should immediately say that ‘we should never play against India’. Let’s see what action ICC takes. What else evidence do you need after this? But the BCCI person is leading the ICC – how will he (Jay Shah) take any action? The other boards have to come together, say we can’t see this in cricket. Sport is not played at anyone’s home. If others don’t play them, then no money is going to come,” Akmal told ARY News.
“The earlier these things can be controlled, the better for everybody. A neutral body has to be formed without Pakistan and India, make a committee of Australians, South Africans, and New Zealanders and let them decide on what action to be taken about all that has happened in this tournament,” he added.
'Cheap behaviour'
Akmal also accused India of showcasing "cheap behaviour" throughout the Asia Cup 2025 tournament, where the side did not drop even a single game. The group stage match saw India refusing to shake hands with the Pakistan players and support staff in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 lives were lost.
The Super 4s contest was also a highly charged-up contest as Pakistan pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf constantly sledged India openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. Sahibzada Farhan brought out the gun celebration, firing shots in the air, after completing his half-century.
However, Akmal believes that it was India who crossed all limits and Pakistan did nothing wrong.
"This cheap harkatein (behaviour) we shall keep seeing from India. We have seen in this tournament that they have done as much damage to cricket as they could. PCB and ACC president took the right stand – take the trophy or not, it will be given by the president only. India will become the joke of the cricketing world," said Akmal.
