Colombo [Sri Lanka], October 6 : It has been a tough four weeks for Pakistan cricket as for four successive weeks, they endured four defeats to India in men's and women's cricket across high-profile events, the Asia Cup and ICC Women's World Cup.
Troubling times for Pakistan against Team India started with a seven-wicket loss to Men in Blue during the group stage of the men's Asia Cup in Dubai on September 14, and followed them right to Colombo on Sunday, where the Women in Green surrendered to the pace of Kranti Gaud and Deepti Sharma's spin during a run-chase of 248 runs.
During this time, a whole lot of off the field controversies also took place. The tournament started with Indian fans encouraging a boycott of the match and the tournament itself heavily on social media.
Given the tensed political situations between both countries following Pahalgam terror attacks and consequent launch of Operation Sindoor by Indian Armed Forces, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and rest of the team left the Men in Green hanging, waiting for a handshake. The skipper, who had played an unbeaten 47* on his birthday to complement young Abhishek Sharma's quickfire 31 in 13, dedicated the win to the Armed Forces and expressed his solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attacks. The spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) reduced Pakistan to 127/9, chasing it down in 15.5 overs.
Following the match, Pakistan skipper did not turn up for the post-match presentation and sent Mike Hesson, their head coach, a foreigner, to face the media. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint against match-referee Andy Pycroft for not having the handshakes happen and hence allegedly violating the ICC Code of Conduct and 'Spirit of Cricket'. In a tournament featuring budding and established Asian stars, a match official suddenly became the most talked-about figure as PCB threatened to pull out of the tournament if Pycroft was not removed from the roster of officials. Despite their protests, which included the team sitting locked inside their hotels ahead of their UAE clash and turning up for the match late after a meeting of the team's representatives with the official, Pycroft was not let go as ESPNCricinfo reported him to be the 'messenger' who was told of 'no handshakes' message by Asian Cricket Council (ACC) venue manager just four minutes before toss.
Ahead of the second clash on September 21, Pakistan did not do their post-match presser.
The tensions continued during the next match, which was a little more competitive than the first. India opted to bowl first after winning the toss and Sahibzada Farhan (58 in 45 balls, with five fours and three sixes) gave India a scare, powering India to 93 in first ten overs or so. In a provocative gesture, he celebrated his fifty by doing a 'gun-fire' celebration. But just like the handle of the bat, which was supposed to represent the barrel, was pointed towards him, Pakistan shot themselves in the foot by getting carried away and not getting their on-field aggression get reflected in their strike rates. It was only a fiery cameo from Faheem Ashraf (20* in eight balls, with a four and two sixes) which could take them to a decent 171/5 in 20 overs, with Shivam Dube (2/33) being the unlikely wicket chart-topper.
Abhishek Sharma (74 in 39 balls, with six fours and five sixes) and vice-captain Shubman Gill (47 in 28 balls, with eight fours) gave India a ferocious headstart, provoked by the aggression shown by Pakistani pacers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Boundaries were followed by verbal jabs and heated exchanges, reminiscent of the India-Pakistan clashes of the older days. While Rauf (2/26) and Ashraf (1/31) tried to put up a fight, Tilak Varma (30* in 19 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Hardik Pandya (7*) took India home with six wickets and seven balls left.
A fresh controversy followed right after the match as in a viral video, Rauf was seen using his fingers to the Indian crowd to signify '6-0', as he was showered with chants of Virat Kohli, who had hit him for those two iconic sixes at Melbourne during the T20 World Cup 2022 in a tense run-chase of 160 runs. Rauf's gesture was a reference to Pakistan's groundless claims of downing six Indian jets during Operation Sindoor.
Following that, complaints from both boards followed, as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) alleged the Indian skipper of making things political by talking about armed forces and Pahalgam terror attacks during post-match proceedings, while Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) found Sahibzada and Rauf's gestures to be provocative.
While Rauf was fined 30 per cent of his match fee by the ICC for "abusive language", Sahibzada was let go after a warning. Also, as per ESPNCricinfo, Suryakumar, following a meeting with match referee Richie Richardson was asked to "refrain from making political comments".
During the title clash on September 28, everything was at stake. While Pakistan could use every off-the-field controversy as a fuel to spring up a surprise or two, India just could not afford to lose, given how much calls to boycott the IND-PAK matches and Asia Cup itself trended on social media before the tournament. India once again opted to bowl first, and Sahibzada (57 in 38 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman (46 in 35 balls, with two fours and two sixes) gave India another scare with a quickfire opening stand. However, it was Kuldeep Yadav (4/30), along with other spinners, Axar and Varun Chakravarthy, who killed the hype for Pakistan, and their batting attack melted to a paltry 146 all out from a dominant position of 113/1 in 12.4 overs. A key highlight of the innings was pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah giving it back to Rauf with a 'plane crash' celebration after disturbing his furniture.
While the law of averages caught up with red-hot Abhishek Sharma (5) and India was left 20/3 after an initial burst from Faheem Ashraf (3/29), it was Tilak Varma (69* in 53 balls, with three fours and four sixes) who stuck around, stitching valuable half-century stands with Sanju Samson (24 in 21 balls, with two fours and a six) and Shivam Dube (33 in 22 balls, with two fours and two sixes). With just ten needed in the final over, the match went down to the wire, and it was an icey-cold pull from Tilak Varma and a first-ball four by Rinku Singh, playing his first Asia Cup game replacing an injured Hardik Pandya, which sealed the win for India. It was Tilak who emerged as a hero out of this match, playing a well-calculated, Kohli-esque knock.
Following the match, Team India refused to take the trophy from ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi, also Pakistan's Interior Minister and PCB chief.
During the post-match presentation, Pakistan collected their runners-up medals, and so did Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma, the 'Player of the Match' and 'Player of the Tournament' award winners, respectively.
However, after post-match interviews of Tilak, Abhishek and Pakistan skipper Salman Agha, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, the presenter informed that India will not be collecting their medals or trophy during the ceremony, and the ceremony concluded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation," informed Simon as heard on the live TV broadcasting.
However, skipper Suryakumar Yadav and the whole Team India did celebrate their triumph without any trophies and medals. Posing for the cameras, Suryakumar replicated ex-T20I skipper Rohit Sharma's slow-walk T20 World Cup 2024 winning celebration with the rest of the team, with fireworks going off in the background.
Team India just did not care, if there was not a trophy in their hands, they were just as happy while flexing an AI-made trophy stickers on social media or lifting an imaginary cup in their hands and smiling. Further taunting Pakistan, India's left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh mimicked Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed's celebration with Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana.
Reflecting BCCI's stand on the matter and condemning Naqvi's act of having the trophy taken away instead of being handed over to India, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said to ANI from Mumbai, "We have decided not to take the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan. So we decided not to take it from him. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy with him, along with the medals. So it is very unfortunate and unsportsmanlike, and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible. There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson."
The chaos continued well after Team India's title win, as during the ACC meeting held on September 30, various reports surfaced which claimed that Naqvi had apologised to the BCCI for the chaos that unfolded after the final. However, a day later, Naqvi categorically denied the reports and placed an out-of-the-way condition about returning the trophy to the title winners. He also asked the Team India to collect the trophy from him if they wanted it.
"Indian media thrives on lies, not facts. Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so. This fabricated nonsense is nothing but cheap propaganda, aimed only at misleading their own people," Naqvi wrote on X as quoted from Geo News.
"Unfortunately, India continues to drag politics into cricket, damaging the very spirit of the game. As ACC Chairman, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day, and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me," he concluded.
Amidst these tensions, both India and Pakistan's women's team headed to Colombo for their World Cup clash. The handshakes continued to elude Pakistani players even here, as captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana did not shake hands during the toss.
Controversies just would not end, as after Harman spun the coin, the Pakistan captain, Fatima, was heard calling tails. However, presenter Mel Jones of Australia said heads. The ICC Match Referee, Shandre Fritz, did not notice the error and awarded the toss to Pakistan despite the incorrect call. As a result, Pakistan won the toss and opted to field against India.
The match itself was historic for Pakistan on some fronts as they managed to all out India for the first time in the ODIs, while Diana Baig (4/69) managed the best figures by a Pakistan pacer in WC history. Several Indian players got starts, but they never turned to milestones as India was bundled out for 247 runs. Harleen Deol (46) and Richa Ghosh (35*) were the stars of the Indian batting, which was interrupted for a while due to pest control spray on the ground after bugs had started to swarm on the field.
During Pakistan's run-chase, Muneeba Ali was involved in a controversial run out,
On the final ball of the fourth over, the Indian players appealed for lbw off Kranti Gaud for Muneeba's dismissal, which was turned down by the on-field umpire.
Muneeba had promptly grounded her bat behind the crease before Deepti Sharma threw the ball from the slip cordon that rattled into the stumps. The moment the ball ignited the stumps, Muneeba had briefly raised the willow off the ground, without having any part of her body behind the crease.
Initially, the TV umpire deemed Muneeba not out; however, after a second check, the decision was overturned and given out. Muneeba's bat was in the air when the ball ignited the stumps. Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana was seen having an animated chat with the fourth umpire as the Indians were extremely ecstatic.
According to the MCC Law 30.1, a batter shall be considered to be out of her ground unless some part of her person or bat is grounded behind the popping crease at that end.
30.1.2 However states, a batter shall not be considered to be out of her ground if, in running or diving towards her ground and beyond, and having grounded some part of her person or bat beyond the popping crease, there is subsequent loss of contact between the ground and any part of her person or bat, or between the bat and person.
Muneeba was not running or diving, she was considered to be out of her ground and was given out in accordance with the laws.
Sidra Amin (81) struck around to register the best-ever knock by a Pakistan batter against India in women's ODI, but it was off no use as three wickets each by Deepti and Kranti and two by Sneh Rana restricted Pakistan to 159 runs.
After Pakistan slumped to a comprehensive 88-run defeat, Diana claimed that the matter had been resolved and told reporters, "Muneeba's run-out issue has already been settled, I believe. I don't want to talk much about it now. Whatever happened and whatever the situation was, I think it has been resolved."
The trilogy of the men's T20I matches and a women's ODI gave fans plenty of entertainment and off-the-field drama, and opened up the debates of separation between sports and politics. Following the Asia Cup trilogy, the rivalry shifted largely in favour of India by 13-3, while the women's team extended their unbeaten WC runs and ODI runs against Pakistan to 5-0 and 12-0 respectively.