PCB says it will approach ICC over conduct of Indian players in the Under-19 Asia Cup final
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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday that the board would approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) over what he described as “provocative behaviour” by Indian players during the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup 2025 final.
Pakistan secured a dominant 191-run victory over arch-rivals India in the final, which was played on Sunday at the ICC Academy, completing a comprehensive title-winning campaign.
Speaking at a reception hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in honour of the victorious Pakistan Under-19 team, Naqvi alleged that Indian players repeatedly provoked Pakistani players during the match.
“Indian players kept provoking our players in the Under-19 Asia Cup final,” Naqvi said. “Pakistan will inform the ICC about the incident. Politics and sports should be kept separate.”
Cricketing ties between Pakistan and India have long been strained amid broader geopolitical tensions, with bilateral series remaining suspended for more than a decade and encounters largely limited to multinational tournaments.
Pakistan Under-19 team mentor and former national captain Sarfaraz Ahmed also criticised India’s conduct during the final, calling it unsportsmanlike.
“India’s behaviour regarding the game was not good, and their conduct on the field was unethical,” Sarfaraz said. “Despite that, we celebrated our victory with sportsmanship, because sportsmanship should always come first in cricket. What India did reflects their own actions.”
The allegations come amid heightened scrutiny of on-field behaviour during Asia Cup matches involving the two countries.
Earlier at senior level in September, Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav was criticised for skipping the customary post-match handshake with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and other players during their Asia Cup 2025 encounters, including the final.
The absence of traditional handshakes at the end of those matches drew global attention, with commentators and former players questioning India’s adherence to the spirit of the game.
Separately, reports also claimed that the Indian team declined to collect the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi following a final in which India defeated Pakistan by five wickets. The decision was reportedly taken on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Neither the BCCI nor the Indian team has publicly commented on the claims.
The ICC has not yet responded to PCB’s stated intention to formally raise the matter.
