U19 Asia Cup final row escalates as PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi confirms ICC complaint against India over players’ behaviour

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to lodge a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against India, citing unsportsmanlike behavior during the recently concluded Under-19 Asia Cup. This announcement was made by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi at a press conference held in Lahore.

As reported by APP, Naqvi held a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium where he stated that the PCB had taken serious notice of the behavior of the India U19 team, especially their refusal to shake hands with the Pakistan players after the final match. He stated that such actions were against the spirit of cricket and stated that the board was in the process of formally taking up the matter with the ICC.

Pakistan defeated India by a significant margin in the U19 Asia Cup final held in Dubai on December 21. Naqvi emphasized that on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan is determined to keep cricket and politics separate. However, he made it clear that Pakistan would not tolerate unequal treatment.

“The PCB aims to maintain the separation between cricket and politics under the guidance of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” he was quoted as saying by APP. Earlier, Times of India had reported that the PCB intends to lodge a formal complaint with the ICC regarding the conduct of Indian players.

The argument stems from on-field tensions during the final, where players from both teams had a verbal exchange. Former Pakistan captain and current U19 team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed later condemned the actions of some Indian players and stated that their gestures were inappropriate.

Tensions flared after the match when Indian players skipped the traditional handshake and accepted their second medal without acknowledging PCB and ACC chief Naqvi. This incident reflected the no-handshake approach adopted by the Indian senior team against Pakistan in previous multi-national tournaments.

The tense relationship between the two teams has continued due to recent political tensions between their countries, leading to avoidance of handshakes at various ICC and ACC events.

As India and Pakistan prepare to face each other once again in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup, it will be interesting to observe whether this issue will be resolved.

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