ICC-BCCI handshake controversy before India-Pak match

New controversy in India-Pakistan U-19 match

A new controversy has emerged regarding the handshake during the match between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup U-19. ICC’s objective is that there should be no place for politics in junior cricket and players should follow normal protocols.

Staying away from politics in junior cricket

ICC believes that U-19 level cricket should be played in the spirit of the game. Therefore, it has requested India that the policy of banning handshakes should not be implemented in the U-19 category. ICC officials say that such a controversy can have a negative impact on the image of the game.

Strict instructions to team management

BCCI has given clear instructions to U-19 team manager Anand Datar. If Indian players do not want to do a handshake, they will have to inform the match referee in advance. A board official said that ICC is paying special attention to this matter, but India is free to take the final decision.

Reference to past controversies

Even before this, Indian teams had refused to shake hands with Pakistani players in the Men’s Asia Cup, Women’s World Cup and Rising Stars Tournament. This step was taken to show solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Even at present, the attention of the audience is on this issue.

No instructions on players, focus on performance

U-19 Indian players have not been given any instructions regarding handshake yet. The team’s focus is on getting a good start to the tournament. Player Vaibhav Suryavanshi and captain Ayush Mhatre are in excellent form, and their batting is considered the strength of the team.

Exciting clash between India and Pakistan

India and Pakistan are in the same group, while the teams of Malaysia and UAE are relatively less experienced. In this situation, the chances of both the teams reaching the semi-finals are strong. Sunday’s match is going to be special not only in terms of the game but also because of the protocol controversy.