Skipper Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match ceremony after India refused handshake with Pakistan following the Asia Cup match between Pakistan and India in UAE on Sunday, 14th September.
Agha skipped the presentation deliberately in reaction to record his protest against the Indian team’s dismal behaviour for refusing handshakes following the match.
Earlier, some social media reports claimed that Salman Ali Agha was not invited in the post-match ceremony, however, it was later revealed by official sources that Salman Agha deliberately skipped the post-match ceremony himself in order to record his protest against the Indian teams’ inappropriate behavior of refusing handshakes with the Pakistani players.
The captains did not even shake hands before the match during the toss as well. Surya Kumar Yadav, the witting captain, said that India had decided before the match in alignment with the BCCI and the Indian government that it would not shake hands with the opposition, a move that left Pakistan visibly disappointed.
Mike Hesson, the Pakistani coach, said that the team had been waiting after the game to shake hands only to discover India were snubbing them. However, Salman Agha refused for a post-match TV interview as it is a broadcast norm. Hours after the match ended, the PCB said in a statement that Pakistan’s team manager had registered a formal protest against him because he had requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss. This was the first meeting between the two sides since India and Pakistan exchanged cross-border hostilities following the Pahalgam terror attack in April and uncertainty had surrounded the match in the intervening months. Several calls were up. Indian media and Indian public had been calling for the Indian team to boycott Pakistan in the Asia Cup and refused to play matches against them. There was a widespread movement initiated ahead of the match calling for India to boycott it.
When the Indian Captain Surya Kumar Yadav was asked if the refusal to shake hands with Pakistani players was against the sporting spirit, he said, “Few things in life are ahead of a sportsman’s spirit also. I have said it at the presentation as well, we stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families and express our solidarity.
Heston, however, has expressed disappointment in India’s stance. In a press conference, the coach said that we were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, however, we obviously are disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that, he said. We sort of went over there to shake hands and they had already gone over to the dressing room. That was a disappointing way for the match to finish and a match we were disappointed for the way we played, but we were certainly willing to shake hands. Heston said Agha’s absence from the presentation ceremony was a follow-on effect of India’s refusal to shake hands. The PCP statement confirmed this, timing India’s action to be against sportsmanship.
Manager Naveed Akram Cheema has registered a formal protest against the match referee’s behaviour, said the PCP statement. Match referee requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss.