Salman Agha Accuses India of ‘Disrespecting Cricket’ After Asia Cup Final
Pakistan captain Salman Agha has launched a scathing attack on the Indian team following their dramatic win in the Asia Cup final, accusing them of “disrespecting cricket” with their conduct throughout the tournament.
India defeated Pakistan in a thrilling last-over finish on Sunday in Dubai to claim their ninth Asia Cup title. However, post-match celebrations were overshadowed by controversy, as India refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi — who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister. The standoff led to a delay of over 90 minutes before the presentation ceremony could begin.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Agha expressed his disappointment with the Indian team's actions.
“What India have done this tournament is very disappointing,” Agha said. “They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they’re disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t do what they did today.”
According to Agha, Pakistan players went ahead with the trophy photo session and medal ceremony independently because they felt obligated to do so, despite the awkward delay and lack of coordination from their opponents.
‘If it were up to Suryakumar, he’d shake hands’
Agha clarified that he did not hold personal animosity toward Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. In fact, he noted that Yadav had privately greeted him during earlier encounters in the tournament.
“He shook hands with me in private at the start of the tournament — at the pre-tournament press conference and during the referee’s meeting,” Agha said. “But when the cameras are on, they don’t shake our hands. I’m sure he’s following instructions, but if it was up to him, he’d shake hands with me.”
Agha’s remarks highlight ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two cricketing nations, which have increasingly bled into on-field behavior and tournament protocol. This edition of the Asia Cup has been particularly strained, with both teams reportedly avoiding direct interactions off the field.
A rare breach of cricketing norms
The Pakistan captain condemned the repeated absence of handshakes — both at tosses and after matches — calling it a breach of cricket’s long-held traditions and sportsmanship.
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen this happen,” he stated. “It’s detrimental to the spirit of cricket. Everything that happened today — including India holding up an imaginary trophy — was a consequence of their earlier actions.”
The controversy has sparked widespread debate, especially given that such post-match formalities are seen as essential symbols of mutual respect in international sport.
‘Not a good example for fans’
Agha warned that such conduct sets a damaging precedent, particularly for the millions of fans and young cricketers across India and Pakistan who view the sport’s top players as role models.
“I’m not just a Pakistan captain, I’m a cricket fan,” he said. “If a kid’s watching in India or Pakistan, we’re not sending them a good message. People think of us as role models, but if we’re behaving like this, we’re not inspiring them.”
He concluded by placing responsibility for the situation on the Indian team.
“What happened shouldn’t have happened, but you should ask the people [India] responsible for this rather than me.”
Background
This year’s Asia Cup was already under scrutiny due to strained political relations between India and Pakistan, with venue negotiations and security concerns dominating pre-tournament headlines. India and Pakistan played each other three times during the tournament, with India winning all three matches — including the final.
So far, the Indian cricket board has not officially responded to Agha’s comments.
The fallout from the final may cast a shadow over future India-Pakistan encounters, especially with both teams set to face each other again in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for early 2026 in Pakistan.