DUBAI: India’s victorious captain Suryakumar Yadav defended his team’s decision not to shake hands with the defeated Pakistan players on Sunday, saying that it was taken in alignment with their government and cricket board.
India thumped Pakistan by seven wickets in a Group A Asia Cup clash in Dubai which ended on a bitter note as Indian players headed into their dressing room without a customary handshake.
Pakistan, in protest, refused to attend the post match ceremony as tensions flared in a match which was the first between the bitter rivals since May’s military action.
The cross border clashes were sparked after an attack in Pahalgam in Indian Kashmir in April which killed 26 people, with India blaming Pakistan.
New Delhi resisted the calls to boycott the match and cleared the team to play Pakistan only in multi-national events.
“We are aligned with the government and Board of Control for Cricket in India,” said Suryakumar after scoring 47 not out as India chased down a modest Pakistan target of 128 in 15.5 overs.
Left-armer Kuldeep Yadav led India’s spin rout with 3-18 as Pakistan were restricted to a below-par 127-9 in 20 overs.
Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson termed said he was disappointed with the Indian players’ refusal to shake hands.
“We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game,” said Hesson. “We are disappointed that the opposition did not do that.
“We went over there and they were already gone to the changing room, so that was obviously a disappointing way to finish the match.”
Hesson said that the decision not to send captain Salman Agha to the post match ceremony was “just in the flow of the things.”
“The team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a protest with match referee Andy Pycroft after the match,” said Pakistan’s team management in a statement after the match.
“The behavior of Indian players was against the spirit of sportsmanship,” it added. “That is why skipper Agha was not sent to the post match ceremony.”
India, with two wins from two, are nearly through to the next Super Fours stage of the tournament with their final group match against Oman on Friday.
Pakistan play UAE next on Wednesday and despite the defeat to India are expected to make the next stage.
No Pakistan handshake aligned with government, says India captain
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No Pakistan handshake aligned with government, says India captain
- Game ended on a bitter note as Indian players headed into their dressing room without a customary handshake
- Pakistan, in protest, snubbed the post-match ceremony in their first match since the bitter rivals' military clashed 4 months ago
Hungry South Africa ‘want more’ after statement T20 win over India
- South Africa play the West Indies on Thursday in Ahmedabad where Markram’s side could put one foot firmly in the semifinals with another win
AHMEDABAD: A hungry South Africa will “keep wanting more” after their statement victory over co-hosts India at the T20 World Cup earmarked Aiden Markram’s side as serious title contenders.
India were swept aside by 76 runs as 80,000 fans in Ahmedabad were silenced on Sunday and their 12-match win streak at the T20 World Cup, stretching back to 2022, came to a crashing halt.
India, batting second for the first time in the tournament, collapsed to 111 all out in their Super Eights opener after South Africa posted 187-7.
David Miller showed India’s much-vaunted lineup how to bat on a slow Ahmedabad pitch, building an innings after South Africa lost early wickets and were 20-3 in the power play.
Miller put on 97 for the fourth wicket with Dewald Brevis (45) on his way to 63 off 35 balls in a perfectly paced knock.
It set the platform for Tristan Stubbs to launch a late assault with 44 off 24 balls, including a crucial 20 from the final over.
Miller said that India’s cloak of invincibility had been removed and now South Africa knew “that they are beatable.”
“It wasn’t easy. Playing against India is always really difficult and they’ve got some incredible team and players,” Miller told reporters.
“For us in a tournament like this, it’s about making sure that we do keep going back to the simple things, making sure that we stay in our lane as a player, get the job done and keep wanting more.
“We’re a mature team. A lot of guys have played together and a lot of cricket for South Africa and that goes a long way under pressure,” said Miller.
Quick bowler Marco Jansen took 4-22, ably supported by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (3-24) and fellow quick Lungi Ngidi (0-15) in a rematch of the 2024 final, won by India.
“Look I don’t think anyone was thinking of revenge. It was a big game,” Ngidi told reporters.
“But if we lift the trophy, that’s proper revenge — if you want to call it that.
“But tonight was just another game we needed to win to put ourselves in a better position to challenge for the trophy.”
The West Indies face Zimbabwe on Monday night in Mumbai in their Super Eights opener in the same group.
South Africa play the West Indies on Thursday in Ahmedabad where Markram’s side could put one foot firmly in the semifinals with another win.
On the same day in Chennai, India face giant-killers Zimbabwe, who have already beaten Australia and Sri Lanka, and must win convincingly.
Anything less and India will need to beat the West Indies in their final match rely on a combination of other results going their way.
