India are ‘disrespecting cricket’ with their conduct - Pakistan captain Agha

Pakistan captain Salman Agha has criticised India for what he called their “disappointing” behaviour during the Asia Cup.

“What India have done this tournament is very disappointing,” Agha said at the press conference after the final. “They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they’re disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t do what they did today [refusing to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi]. We went to pose with the trophy on our own because we wanted to fulfil our obligations. We stood there and took our medals. I don’t want to use harsh words but they’ve been very disrespectful.”

After Pakistan lost the Asia Cup final to India in the last over in Dubai on Sunday, there was more than a 90-minute delay before the presentation ceremony began, but India refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is the ACC president and PCB chairman, and also the interior minister of Pakistan.

It was the culmination of a series of incidents where India have looked to limit any contact with Pakistan players or officials during the tournament.

Agha said he did not have an issue with India captain Suryakumar Yadav. He claimed that if it had been up to Suryakumar, he would have shaken hands with Agha before the tosses at the three matches the teams have played against each other.

“He shook hands with me in private at the start of the tournament,” Agha said. “Both at the pre-tournament press conference and when we met in the referee’s meeting. But when they’re out in the world in front of the cameras, they don’t shake our hands. I’m sure he’s following the instructions he’s been given, but if it was up to him, he’d shake hands with me.”

Reiterating his position before the final, Agha said he did not believe there was a precedent in cricket for a team refusing handshakes, saying it was “detrimental” to the spirit of cricket. The manner in which the post-final presentation unfolded, with India holding up an imaginary trophy, was “a consequence of everything they had done before”.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen this happen,” Agha said. “Whatever happened in this tournament was very bad, and I hope it stops at some stage because it’s bad for cricket. Everything that happened today was a consequence of all that happened [before]. Of course, the ACC president will give the trophy to the winners - if you won’t take the trophy from him, how will you get it?”

As with the previous two India-Pakistan matches in this tournament, there were no handshakes at the toss at the final or following the game, and the teams stood apart in their huddles while waiting for the presentation ceremony to begin. Agha said all that had taken place had not set a good example to those following the game in either India or Pakistan, but placed the blame squarely on the opposition.

“I’m not just a Pakistan captain, I’m a cricket fan,” Agha said. “If a kid is 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. What happened shouldn’t have happened, but you should ask the people [India] responsible for this rather than me.”

Source: Espncricinfo

- Agencies