E-Paper
Sign in
Sunil Gavaskar shreds Salman Agha for skipping post-match interview amid handshake row: 'No one wanted excuses anyway'
Sunil Gavaskar minced no words as he tore into Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha for skipping the post-match presentation.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar tore into Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha for skipping the post-match presentation in the aftermath of the no-handshake controversy in the Asia Cup Group A match between the two countries at the Dubai International Stadium. Suryakumar Yadav's India registered an emphatic seven-wicket win as they chased down the target of 128 with 25 balls to spare. However, a huge row erupted post that as India refused to have customary post-match handshakes with the Pakistan team.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha and coach Mike Hesson approached the Indian dressing room for post-match handshakes only to find the door being shut on them. This incident left the Pakistan camp miffed with Salman Agha, deciding to skip the post-match presentation conducted by former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar.
Gavaskar said that Agha skipping the post-match ceremony made no difference, as everyone wanted the match-winning captain, and no one was interested in listening to excuses from the losing party.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the victory to the Indian Armed Forces as he stated that the entire contingent stands in solidarity with the Pahalgam terror attack victims.
“Sports and politics have never been separate - you only need to look back over the years to see that. I wouldn't criticise someone for taking that stance, and I wouldn't want to get into a debate about it. When you start discussing political references, you get into policies and complexities that are frankly beyond my pay grade,” said Gavaskar on India Today.
“I don't think it made much difference anyway - people mainly wanted to hear what the winning captain had to say, not excuses from the other side,” he added.
‘I don’t know what happened'
The lack of handshakes has now snowballed into a full-blown controversy as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged an official complaint with the ICC, asking for the removal of the match referee for the remainder of the Asia Cup. PCB also threatened to pull out of the Asia Cup if their demands are not met.
However, Gavaskar said that there is no rule that makes it compulsory to have post-match handshakes, hence every Indian player was well within their rights to do whatever they did.
“I didn't actually see it myself, but ultimately it's up to each individual what they want to do. On the field, there are times when people abuse you and say things that aren't acceptable. If someone has been calling you names, asking that you go and shake hands with them is too much to expect,” Gavaskar said.
I don't know exactly what happened on the field or whether words were exchanged, but if an individual decides not to shake hands, they are perfectly within their rights to do so," he added.
