Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has taken a fresh dig at Pakistan following their attempt to blame match referee Andy Pycroft for the handshake controversy during the Group stage match between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025.
The controversy erupted after India’s Suryakumar Yadav hit the winning six and walked off the field alongside Shivam Dube without shaking hands with the Pakistani players. This move did not sit well with the Men in Green, as Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha consequently skipped the post-match presentation duties.
In the aftermath, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a statement alleging that Pycroft had instructed the captains not to shake hands and went as far as to call for his ban. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected their request and confirmed that Andy Pycroft will continue to officiate, including in the upcoming Super 4 match between the two sides on Sunday.
Responding to the controversy on his YouTube channel, the 39-year-old Ashwin stated:
> “Cricketers ne kya kaha, yeh hamaara faisla hai ki we don’t want to shake hands. This is our side of the story, our truth. Baat idhar hee khatam hai.
> Now you are saying Andy Pycroft ko spirit of cricket ko uphold karna hai. Andy Pycroft school principal ya teacher thodi hai. Jaake kaan pakadke thodi Surya ko laa sakte hain. ‘Surya aajao haath mila lo. Nahin kar sakte na aisa.”
> (Cricketers said this is our decision and we don’t want to shake hands. This is our side of the story, our truth. The story ends here. Now you are saying Andy Pycroft must uphold the spirit of cricket. Andy Pycroft is not a school principal or a teacher, who will pull Surya’s ears to shake hands with Pakistan players. Can’t do that.)”
Ahead of the Super 4 clash, Suryakumar Yadav addressed the ongoing hype and tension surrounding the match. Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, he shared his approach to managing the external pressure:
> “Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep.”
> (Everyone in the room laughed.)
> “Of course, it’s not always possible. You meet a lot of friends, you go out to dinner. You have other players also around who like to see all these things. So it’s very difficult, but then it’s on you. What you want to listen to, what you want to have in your mind. But I have been very clear with all the boys. I think it’s very important. If you want to do well in this tournament and going forward, we will have to shut out a lot of noise from outside.”
India will look to carry their momentum into the highly anticipated Super 4 match after a 21-run victory over Oman in their previous game. The cricketing world now waits to see how these fierce rivals will face off once again on Sunday.
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