Amidst the swirling controversy of Indian cricketers reportedly declining handshakes with Pakistani players during the recent Asia Cup, veteran politician and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has voiced a thoughtful perspective. He emphasized the crucial need to keep sports and military conflicts entirely separate, especially as the two nations geared up for a potential final showdown.
Tharoor articulated his stance clearly: “I personally feel that once the decision had been made to play, if we feel so strongly about Pakistan, we should not have played. However, if we are going to play, we should do so in the true spirit of the game, and handshakes should be a given.” He referenced the 1999 World Cup, where India and Pakistan played in England despite the ongoing Kargil War, noting, “On the very day the soldiers were dying for our country, we were playing the World Cup against Pakistan. We were shaking their hands even then because the spirit of the game is fundamentally different from political and military tensions.”
He further elaborated on the reciprocity of such actions, stating, “If the Pakistani team, feeling insulted the first time, chose to reciprocate with an insult the second time, it clearly indicates a deficit in the spirit of the game on both sides.”
The diplomatic strain deepened following the second encounter in the Asia Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged an official complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and match referee Andy Pycroft. The complaint targeted Pakistani players Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf for their behavior during the Asia Cup Super Four match on September 21.
A key point of contention in the complaint was Sahibzada Farhan’s contentious half-century celebration, where he mimicked holding his bat like a gun. This gesture was widely perceived as both insensitive and provocative.
Haris Rauf’s actions also drew significant attention. After dismissing Indian player Sanju Samson, Rauf displayed aggression and made a “0-6” gesture towards Indian spectators. This gesture was interpreted as a reference to Pakistan’s assertions regarding the downing of Indian fighter jets during border skirmishes following India’s Operation Sindoor earlier in May.
Rauf’s provocative display quickly gained traction on social media, leading to widespread criticism from Indian fans. In response, many fans began chanting “Virat Kohli,” recalling the Indian batter’s iconic sixes against Rauf during a memorable T20 World Cup match in Melbourne in 2022.
In a reciprocal move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also filed two complaints with the ICC. Their complaints were directed at Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, alleging that his comments following the September 14 game, which touched upon the Pahalgam incident, were political in nature.
Despite the off-field controversies, India demonstrated strong performance on the pitch, dominating their matches against Pakistan in the tournament. Having secured victories in both encounters, India advanced to the finals, with the exciting prospect of a potential rematch against Pakistan in Sunday’s ultimate game, provided Pakistan overcomes Bangladesh.