Hammering on the field, protest and threats off it: How Pakistan responded to India clash at Asia Cup

India delivered a brutal, and effective, response to Pakistan on the field during the Asia Cup encounter on Sunday. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India clinched a convincing 7-wicket win with 25 balls to spare at the Dubai International Stadium. A day later, India booked their place in the Super 4s stage while Pakistan are currently in a limbo over their Asia Cup future.

On the pitch

In the blockbuster clash, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat and were reduced to 6/2 vs India. A 39-run partnership between Sahibzada Farhan (40 in 44 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (17 in 15 balls) stabilised the innings momentarily, but India reduced Pakistan to 97/8 on the back of a stifling spin-bowling display. A late blitz from Shaheen Shah Afridi (33* in 16 balls, with four sixes) steered them to a competitive, yet below par, 127/9 in 20 overs.



Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) was the pick of the bowlers, with Axar Patel (2/18) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/28) also among the wickets. Hardik Pandya, who had delivered the early blow, finished with one wicket while leaking runs in the final over.

During the run-chase, India lost two wickets in the powerplay, with Abhishek Sharma's fine cameo of 31 in 13 balls (four fours and two sixes) giving India a solid start. Later, a 56-run stand between Suryakumar Yadav (47* in 37 balls, with five fours and a six) and Tilak Varma (31 in 31 balls, with two fours) brought back some stability.


Suryakumar Yadav then raced the India team off to the win, with Shivam Dube (10*) at the other end, delivering a maximum to get the job done with seven wickets and 25 balls left.

No handshake at toss and post match

After finishing off the 128-run chase, India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube walked off the field without shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts or the opposition support staff, which is customary. As Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, his teammates and coach Mike Hesson made their way towards the Indian dressing room, they found the door shut, much to their displeasure.

In the post-match presentation, Suryakumar Yadav expressed solidarity with Pahalgam terror attack victims and dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces, most notably the launch of Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of April's Pahalgam terror attacks.

"Just wanted to say something. Perfect occasion, taking the time out, we stand by the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. 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 make them smile," Suryakumar said after the win in the post-match interview.

In the press-conference that followed, on being asked on handshake being against the spirit of the game, Suryakumar replied, "I feel a few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit. I have told it at the presentation as well. We stand with all the victims of the Pahalagam terror attack. We stand with their families also and express our solidarity. As I said, we dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor. As they continue to inspire us all, we will try our best to, whenever given the opportunity, inspire them as well if possible."

Agha skips post-match ceremony, Hesson disappointed

Pakistan's captain Salman Agha, right, walks past India's captain Suryakumar Yadav after the coin toss ahead of the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

As Suryakumar Yadav made his speech in the post-match ceremony and Kuldeep Yadav took the Player of the Match cheque, Pakistan skipper Agha chose not to attend the presentation. In the press conference that followed, head coach Mike Hesson came after a lengthy delay. During the presser, Hesson broke silence about Salman's absence while expressing his disappointment with India refraining from engaging in the customary handshake. Hesson did not directly pin Salman's absence due to the incident that took place after the match, but alluded to it obliquely.

"We were ready to shake hands. We are obviously disappointed that our opposition did not do that. We sort of went over there to shake hands, but they had already gone to the changing room. That was a disappointing way for the match to finish. We were willing to shake hands. We were keen to shake hands at the end of the match, but that did not happen, and that was pretty much the end of it," Hesson said.

PCB demand removal of Pycroft, lodge formal complaint

The Men in Green called for an immediate removal of the match referee Andy Pycroft and lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, emphasising that the Zimbabwean official's actions undermine the spirit of cricket and violate the established protocols.


PCB chairman and current president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Mohsin Naqvi demanded "immediate removal" of Pycroft over the violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws.


Speaking on the incident, Naqvi wrote on X, "The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup."

Pakistan threaten to pull out, ICC unlikely to budge

Not limited to their official complaint, Pakistan threatened to pull out of their next match against the UAE, where Pycroft is the match referee, which would put their Asia Cup qualification chances into jeopardy. If Pakistan do withdraw, UAE will go ahead into the tournament, alongside India, on the back of four points.

As TimesofIndia.com reported, Pycroft could well have been following instructions from someone in the ACC, as ICC's mandate ends after they appoint officials in consultation with the organising body.

"What has ICC got to do with it? Their role ends when the officials are appointed. Someone from the ACC had a chat with Pycroft before the game, and what happened at the toss was a result of that chat. It’s about time the PCB chief finds out what that chat was, who did it and why—instead of pointing fingers at the ICC to further fuel the fire," said a source.


ICC, as a result, are likely to reject PCB's demand for a change of official for the rest of the Asia Cup, including their upcoming clash. Now the ball is in Pakistan's court on what they do with no change in stance.

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