Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha breaks silence on handshake controversy
What's the story
Pakistan's cricket captain, Salman Ali Agha, has responded to the recent handshake controversy with India during the ongoing T20 Asia Cup 2025. The rivalry between the two teams has been heightened by off-field incidents rather than on-field performances. The incident escalated when India's players skipped a traditional handshake with their Pakistani counterparts in solidarity with Pahalgam attack victims. The two teams are now gearing up to meet in the final clash on September 28 in Dubai.
Accusations
The handshake row
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accused match referee Andy Pycroft of preventing a customary handshake between India's Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan's captain Salman Ali Agha during the group stage match. The PCB even threatened to withdraw from the series if Pycroft wasn't replaced, but the ICC stood firm and rejected their demand. Notably, India have won both their clashes against Pakistan earlier in the tourney.
Response
Not good for cricket, says Agha
Ahead of the final against India, Agha expressed his views on the matter. He said he hasn't seen anything like this before and thinks it's not good for cricket. "I started playing professional cricket since 2007, and I have not seen two teams not shaking hands," he said in a pre-match press conference. He also highlighted that even in worse situations players from both countries have shaken hands in the past.
Aggression
Heated exchanges in the Super Four clash
The Super 4 match saw heated exchanges between players from both teams, especially when Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill were batting. They had verbal exchanges with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Despite Rauf being fined for his aggressive behavior, Agha said he doesn't mind bowlers showing aggression on the field as long as they don't disrespect their opponents.
Photoshoot
Will the captains skip the pre-final photoshoot?
Ahead of the final, rumors suggested that the captains would skip the pre-final photoshoot. However, Agha clarified that it is protocol and they will definitely do it. He also said he doesn't think India would feel more pressure than them due to the handshake controversy. "Pressure would be there for both sides in an India-Pakistan final," he said.
Performance
Agha backs underfire batsmen ahead of final
When asked about his own form and strike rate, Agha admitted he's not up to the mark but is working hard on it. He also defended his underperforming batsmen, saying they all know they haven't been at their best but are trying. "Hopefully, they are all waiting for the final to produce their best," he said.