Pakistan chief Mohsin Naqvi. (FILE photo)
Since the Pahalgam attack, whenever Pakistan and India have played a cricket match during the multi-nation tournament, they have not shaken hands. Be it the Asia Cup in September, the Women’s World Cup in October, or the recently concluded Asia Cup U-19 tournament. Pakistan cricket chief Moshin Naqvi, addressing the press on Sunday, said even in the tournaments, if India is not willing to do a handshake, Pakistan will not reciprocate it either.
“Our belief remains the same even today, and believe me, the Prime Minister himself has told me twice that we shouldn’t let politics come into all of this. From day one, our stance has been that cricket and politics should remain separate. On that day, Sarfaraz must have told you what kind of attitude was shown, and what it was like,” Naqvi said in a press conference in Lahore.
“If they don’t want to shake hands, then we have no particular desire to do so either. Whatever happens, it will happen on an equal footing with India. And you will see, this approach will continue going forward. It’s not possible for them to do one thing and for us to back down — that simply won’t happen,” Naqvi added.
After India won the Asia Cup final by defeating Pakistan by five wickets — which was the Men in Blue’s third victory over their arch-rivals at the tournament — the presentation ceremony was held up by over an hour as the Indian team refused to accept the winners’ trophy and their individual medals from Naqvi.
The Indian team was displeased by Naqvi’s posts on X before the final. He had reportedly shared a post titled ‘Final Day’ in which Pakistan cricketers, including captain Salman Ali Agha and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, are seen wearing flight suits with images of airborne fighter jets in the background. Even earlier during the tournament, Naqvi had posted a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo depicting a crashing plane.
Naqvi is not just the chief of the Asian Cricket Council, but also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and is the Interior Minister back in Pakistan.
After India refused to accept the trophy from him, the Indians celebrated their triumph at the Asia Cup by lifting an imaginary trophy and posting emojis of trophies on social media.
The BCCI had then claimed that Naqvi had taken the trophy and the medals away.