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The recent India vs Pakistan Asia Cup clash was a controversial affair. Before the match even began, there was a massive boycott campaign in India due to the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The match did go ahead as planned, and then controversy struck again. The tension was visible during the toss, as skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused the traditional handshake with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. Then, after bagging the win, the Indian team also refused to engage in handshakes, which led to Pakistan boycotting the post-match presentation.
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Then it got further intensified as the PCB filed an official complaint against match referee Andy Pycroft, accusing him of breaching ICC Code of Conduct. Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf joined the criticism bandwagon, but ended up finding himself embroiled in the controversy as he made a derogatory remark on Suryakumar.
Madan Lal slams Mohammad Yousuf
Speaking on a Pakistani television show, he abused Suryakumar and also accused him of influencing umpiring decisions. Reacting to Yousuf’s claim, 1983 World Cup-winner Madan Lal slammed the ex-Pakistan batter and called him ‘stupid’.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “Look, you must have seen the former Pakistani cricketers, how much they criticise their team. You can see the frustration. They have started abusing the other team’s players. This shows how educated they are. Abusing anyone is not a good thing. I think we are unnecessarily giving them publicity. This is what they want: publicity. All the YouTubers talk about India and make their hits. This is their moral principle. The more bitter we speak about India, the more they will benefit.”
Dismissing Yousuf’s umpiring claim, he added, “It is very easy for the umpires. The DRS system is running. Even if someone is out, he can refer to the third umpire. He has been doing it. One or two of his decisions have gone wrong. They have been referred and he has been given a not out. Then why should anyone complain? Nowadays, no one should complain because it is technology. They use technology, and everything comes out. But you should also understand which DRS you should take and which you should not take.”
Despite controversies, India sealed an easy win, winning by seven wickets. Chasing 128 runs, India eased to 131/3 in 15.5 overs, courtesy of Suryakumar’s unbeaten 47* off 37 balls. Meanwhile, Kuldeep’s three-wicket haul saw India restrict Pakistan to 127/9 in 20 overs.
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