'Utterly disappointing to witness lack of sportsmanship' - Mohsin Naqvi criticises India’s no-handshake stance

Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council, sparked debate on social media after calling India’s decision not to shake hands with Pakistan “utterly disappointing.” In his tweet, Naqvi said dragging politics into cricket goes against the very spirit of the game and hoped future victories would be celebrated with grace by all teams. The tweet came after India thrashed Pakistan by seven wickets in Group A, chasing down 128 in just 15.5 overs. India captain Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 47, while Shivam Dube added 10 not out. Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav led the spin attack with 3-18, supported by Axar Patel (2-18) and Varun Chakaravarthy (1-24), as Pakistan were restricted to 127-9. The match carried heightened emotions, being the first between the arch-rivals since May’s cross-border tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which killed 26 people. India’s team decided to go ahead with the match in alignment with the government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.Suryakumar Yadav defended the team’s stance after the win. “We are aligned with the government and the BCCI,” he said. “We wanted to dedicate this victory to our brave armed forces, who have shown immense valour. This decision reflected that support and our solidarity with the victims and their families.” The match was tense from the start. Captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha skipped the customary handshake at the toss, and after India sealed the win, the players walked straight into their dressing room without shaking hands. Pakistan, in protest, refused to attend the post-match ceremony. Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson expressed disappointment at the snub. “We were ready to shake hands. Disappointed the opposition didn’t do that,” he said, while clarifying that captain Salman Ali Agha not attending the presentation was “just in the flow of things.” Despite the controversy, India’s dominance on the field was clear. The spin trio of Kuldeep, Axar, and Varun controlled the game on a slow Dubai pitch, while Suryakumar’s calm and composed innings ensured a smooth chase. With this win, India remain on top of Group A and are nearly through to the Super Fours stage, with their final group match against Oman on Friday.