BCCI Official Clarifies That Indian Players Aren’t Bound To “Shake Hands” with Pakistan by Any Cricketing Rule

The BCCI responds to PCB's claim of Indian players acting unsporting.

BCCI Official Clarifies That Indian Players Aren’t Bound To “Shake Hands” with Pakistan by Any Cricketing Rule

Salman Ali Agha and Suryakumar Yadav (Image via NDTV Sports)

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The Asia Cup clash between archrivals India and Pakistan was taking a slow and boring route while the cricket was on. The fact that India once again showed how much more skilled they are than their counterparts has become a normal in the last decade or so.

The Indian team restricted the Pakistan side to a paltry total of just 127. Without much fuss, the Indian side stormed to the target by knocking the runs down in just 16 overs with 7 wickets to spare. However, the heat between the two sides caught up big time as the match came to an end.

The protest shown by the Indian players and captain Suryakumar Yadav, who decided not to shake hands with their rivals, caught the headlines very soon. The Pakistan players reportedly were waiting outside the Indian dressing room to do the customary handshake, but live images showed the fans that the Indian team went back to their dressing room quickly and closed the door behind them.

This gesture by Team India did not sit well with the Pakistan Cricket board who then lodged a complaint on the Indian players not showing any sportsmanship. In a counter protest to the non-handshake, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha did not appear at the post-match presentation for any post-match talks. However, in response to the complaint lodged by the PCB, a BCCI official clarified how shaking hands after a match isn’t a compulsion even in the rule book.

If you read the rule book, there is no specification about shaking hands with the opposition. It is a goodwill gesture and a sort of convention, not law, that is followed globally across the sporting spectrum.

BCCI official said via PTI

The BCCI official clarified that the customary handshake is done out of goodwill gestures and is not a compulsion. With the recent events that include the unfortunate Pahalgam attack and the entire Operation Sindhoor that followed, the Indian team has just come to play the cricket match against Pakistan, and not to build any sort of friendship with it.

The International Cricket Council’s 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.” To add to that, Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct lists “Any conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game” as a Level 1 offence.

This makes the matter further interesting as for years there has been a debate between the rules and the spirit of the game. A handshake doesn’t fall under the rules of the game but has been a part of the spirit of the game.

With a thin line around the entire issue, it often depends on the match officials and referees to take a final call to deem any such act as a breach or not. If the match referee or the ICC officials feel that the Indian team did breach any code of conduct, a level 1 offence could be sanctioned. However, as the events have unfolded, it doesn’t seem to be counted as any offence as of now.

The ICC rejects all claims made by the PCB and will not suspend Andy Pycroft

The PCB, along with accusing the Indian players of not shaking hands, had also taken a shot at the match referee Andy Pycroft. The board suggested that Pycroft warned Salman Ali Agha prior to the toss to not shake hands with the Indian captain.

The ICC hits back at PCB by denying suspension of match referee Andy Pycroft.
Suryakumar Yadav, Salman Ali Agha and Andy Pycroft (via OneCricket)

The PCB felt that Pycroft was promoting unsportsmanlike behavior, where he actually should have made the two teams shake hands. However, the plea made by the PCB was rejected by the ICC, stating that Andy Pycroft had a very small role in the whole situation.

The ICC clarified with PCB that avoiding the handshake wasn’t Pycroft’s sole decision, nor was he acting on behalf of the Indian team. Some ground officials from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had informed Pycroft prior to the match that a handshake won’t take place.

Incidentally, Mohsin Naqvi is the president of both the PCB and the ACC, which creates a rather funny situation. As the president of the PCB, Naqvi reportedly lodged the complaint. However, under his leadership at the ACC, officials had conveyed to the match referee that the handshake would not take place.

The Pakistan team will next play the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium with Andy Pycroft designated as the match referee for that game. It will be interesting to note any further development on this entire issue.

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