Shaheen Shah Afridi of Pakistan speaks to India’s Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill throughout their Asia cup match at Dubai Worldwide Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Dubai, UAE. — AFPPakistan attempt to reply on floor: Shaheen Afridi.Moeen Ali regrets Mustafizur’s removing from IPL. Pakistan has confronted comparable remedy in previous: Ali.
Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi on Wednesday criticised the dearth of sportsman spirit in India, amid renewed scrutiny of the Indian cricket board over politicisation of the sport.
The Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) confronted robust criticism after instructing the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to launch Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman amid rising tensions between the 2 nations.
Chatting with the media in Lahore, Afridi stated that there had been an absence of sportsmanly spirit throughout the border, referring to India, which has repeatedly dragged politics into the sport, particularly in video games involving Pakistan.
Nonetheless, he stated that the Inexperienced Shirts have at all times tried to answer such actions with their efficiency on the bottom.
Former West Indies captain Jason Holder has expressed comparable views on the politicisation of the sport, describing the continued tensions between India and Pakistan in cricket as “sad”.
In an internet interplay with cricket analyst Grace Hayden, he highlighted the Asia Cup 2025 controversy, saying that India gained the match however its gamers didn’t step onto the stage to gather the trophy.
Cricket pundits voiced considerations over India’s refusal to shake arms with Pakistani gamers throughout the Males’s Asia Cup, held final yr.
The strain continued via the ultimate, the place India defeated Pakistan however refused to just accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who serves because the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President.
India repeated comparable actions within the Ladies’s World Cup sport in opposition to Pakistan, skipping the customary handshakes.
Referring to the Asia Cup saga, Holder stated that seeing such issues in cricket was saddening.
“I saw India win the Asia Cup, and they didn’t go on stage to accept the trophy. I think it’s too much; these things should not be in our game,” he added.
Individually, former England all-rounder Moeen Ali criticised the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) for favouring sure boards whereas sidelining others.
“Everyone knows who runs the ICC, but no one says anything,” Ali stated in an interview, with out naming India immediately.
Expressing remorse over Mustafizur Rahman’s removing from the Indian Premier League (IPL), he stated that such issues have been taking place for a very long time.
“Pakistan has also faced similar treatment, but it gets ignored,” Ali added.
The previous England participant additionally defended Bangladesh’s resolution to not journey to India for the T20 World Cup, emphasising that Bangladesh have been to not be blamed for the matter.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has stated that it will not ship its staff to India, which is co-hosting the match with Sri Lanka, citing dangers to gamers’ security and well-being.
The cricket board has requested the ICC to maneuver the facet’s sport to a venue exterior India.
