Dawn.com
September 15, 2025
Pakistan’s Salman Agha looks dejected as he walks to the pavilion after he is cuaght out by India’s Abhishek Sharma off the bowling of India’s Axar Patel during the Asia Cup 2025 T20 match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sept 14, 2025. — Reuters
Pakistan suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of India, who beat them by seven wickets after beating the paltry 128-run target set by the Green Shirts.
However, the match had been marred by controversy from the beginning due to calls from across the border to “
boycott” the fixture. It seems the pressure got to the players as well, with the Indian team
refusing to shake hands with their rivals at the toss and after the match.
Furthermore, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav was said to have “politicised” the win by bringing up the Pahalgam terrorist attack in India-occupied Kashmir, over which the two countries fought a
four-day military conflict in May, saying the victory was “a perfect gift” for his nation.
From cricketers and politicians to fans and analysts watching the game, social media was rife with their takes on the scene.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his disappointment over the “lack of sportsmanship” in a post on X shortly after the match.
“Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Let’s hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace,” he wrote.