Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi has accused India of transgressing the concept of sportsmanship during their September 2025 Asia Cup matches. Speaking to the media on Wednesday in Lahore, Shaheen blamed India for what he called bad publicity during the India-Pakistan matches at the continental competition last year.
“People across the border have violated the spirit of sportsmanship,” Shaheen said.
“Our job is to play cricket, and that remains our focus. We will try to respond on the field,” he added, enhancing the excitement surrounding India and Pakistan’s eagerly awaited T20 World Cup 2026 match in Colombo on February 15.
India and Pakistan’s relationship on the field deteriorated during the Asia Cup, and animosity between them extended well beyond the boundary lines. India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistani players was a defining feature of the series of games and was maintained throughout the competition. Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of India, started the trend, and the other players avoided making small talk with their Pakistani counterparts after the game.
Given the tense bilateral relations, certain Pakistani players’ on-field celebrations, such as Haris Rauf’s “jet crashing” gesture and Sahibzada Farhan imitating firing a rifle, were widely viewed as aggressive and insulting. These acts resulted in penalties and warnings under the ICC code of conduct, highlighting how Pakistan’s provocations led to a breakdown in sports decorum rather than respect for one another.
Following India’s thrilling victory over Pakistan in the final, the story came to a contentious end when Team India refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi is also Pakistan’s interior minister. The competitive environment around the competition was reflected in the decision.
The celebration deteriorated into turmoil as a result of Naqvi’s insistence on handing over the trophy himself. The awards presentation was shortened, the trophy was not given out, and Naqvi allegedly left the event with the trophy still in his possession while the Indian team celebrated without it.
