Suryakumar Yadav to be banned after Pahalgam statement, handshake snub vs Pakistan? Report reveals
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Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav denied handshakes with the Pakistan players and walked out of the field, which has raised a question of whether the skipper should be sanctioned for refusing the customary ritual, which is not a mandate in any rule book.
India played Pakistan in the Asia Cup despite several pleas for a boycott. They won the match easily by a comfortable 7-wicket margin, but several actions also led to widespread outbursts from the cricket fans.
After destroying Pakistan with a seven-wicket victory in the Asia Cup 2025 Group Stage game, a huge cloud of controversy led to a heated debate in the world of cricket. Suryakumar Yadav led the Indian players straight into the dressing room, and they denied taking the field for a handshakes.
What did Suryakumar Yadav say in the post-match press conference?
In the post-match conference, the Indian skipper said that it was pre-decided within the team and discussed with the management, as well as the government and the BCCI in India. The Captain did not feel that the actions were against the spirit of the game.
"Our government and BCCI - we were aligned today," Suryakumar told the reporters. "Rest, we took a call [about not shaking hands]. We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply."
"Few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit also. I've [said] it at the presentation as well, we stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families, and express our solidarity," he added.
Big Updates clarify sanctions on Suryakumar Yadav refusing a customary handshake
As the handshake snub had already created a huge controversy, the questions raised over whether Suryakumar Yadav should face any sanctions were answered by the source, who mentioned to Sports Tak that the skipper is unlikely to face any sanctions for the statement.
“There will be no sanctions on Suryakumar Yadav for his Pahalgam statement. There have been other cricketers in the past who have made similar statements and not been sanctioned, so why would he be sanctioned?” the source told Sports Tak.
“It’s an ACC issue, but if he wasn’t sanctioned the first time around, why would he be the second time? How do you sanction someone for something that’s just a convention and not in the rule book?” the source added.
Rules that state factors that might penalise India for the Asia Cup controversy
The move has raised a huge stir over whether India should be penalized for the action. To which the ICC rules say otherwise.
The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Preamble—Spirit of Cricket, included in the T20I Playing Conditions, clearly states, “Congratulate the opposition on their success, and enjoy those of your own team. Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result.”
Moreover, Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct lists “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game” as a Level 1 offence.
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India National Cricket Team Pakistan National Cricket Team India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Suryakumar Yadav ICC Asian Cricket Council (ACC)
