Cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar has publicly lambasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their controversial behavior during the recent Asia Cup 2025. His sharp criticism primarily targets their handling of post-match tensions, specifically after the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, opted out of the traditional handshake. This incident prompted the PCB to lodge a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, a request that was ultimately denied by the ICC.
Gavaskar expressed his bewilderment at the PCB’s grievance, clarifying that a post-match handshake is not a compulsory protocol in cricket. “The PCB’s complaint was truly puzzling, given that no rulebook mandates such hand gestures,” he stated in his Sportstar column. He further reminded everyone of numerous past sporting events where rival teams, after intense contests, chose not to shake hands. “The ICC was entirely justified in dismissing their protest, if media reports are accurate about it even being lodged,” Gavaskar added, underscoring the lack of a formal basis for the complaint.
However, Gavaskar deemed the PCB’s choice to miss the mandatory pre-match press conference as a far more significant issue. “The avoidance of the compulsory media session on the match’s eve by the Pakistani delegation warrants serious attention,” he asserted. He pointed out that it wasn’t necessary for the captain, players, or even the coach to attend; any member of their extensive support staff could have fulfilled the obligation. “That clearly didn’t happen, and it remains to be seen what consequences, if any, will follow for sidestepping a mandatory requirement,” Gavaskar concluded, hinting at potential repercussions.
Gavaskar also took aim at Pakistan for deliberately causing an hour-long delay to their crucial match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “The prolonged halt and the hour-late start left a distinctly bitter taste,” he remarked. He argued that if the PCB had any grievances concerning match referee Andy Pycroft, they had a full two days between their loss to India and the UAE fixture to address them. “By keeping everyone in limbo and failing to appear at the stadium until nearly toss time, they essentially held the game hostage,” Gavaskar declared, highlighting the disruptive nature of their actions.
Finally, the legendary cricketer outright rejected Pakistan’s assertion that they had received an apology from the ICC, labeling it as fundamentally misleading. “There’s absolutely no justification for delaying a game for an entire hour, all while trying to extract an apology from the match referee over something not even outlined in the rules,” Gavaskar firmly stated. He pointed out that even after the ICC explicitly confirmed no apology had been issued, the PCB continued to maintain they had secured one, subsequently agreeing to play. “They capitalized on the phrase ‘regrettable miscommunication,’ twisting it to present it as a formal apology,” Gavaskar penned, exposing what he perceived as a manipulative tactic.