Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has announced that he will approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address what he deems "provocative behaviour" from Indian U19 players during the Asia Cup final held in Dubai on Sunday. This follows Pakistan's dominant 191-run victory over India in the final at the ICC Academy Ground, securing their first U19 Asia Cup title in 13 years.
Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the Interior Minister of Pakistan, voiced his concerns during a reception hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in honor of the U19 team. He stated that the PCB would formally inform the ICC about the incidents, emphasizing the need to keep politics and sports separate. "Indian players kept provoking Pakistani players during the Under-19 Asia Cup final," Naqvi said.
Adding to the অভিযোগ, Pakistan U19 team mentor and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed criticized India's conduct, labeling it "unethical" and against the spirit of cricket. "India's behaviour during the game was not appropriate, and their conduct was against the spirit of cricket," Sarfaraz stated. He also noted that despite the alleged misconduct, Pakistan celebrated their victory with sportsmanship.
Tensions seemed to surface during the match, with an incident involving Indian captain Ayush Mhatre, who was involved in a verbal exchange with Pakistani players after his dismissal. Furthermore, video footage circulated of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, an Indian opener, having a heated exchange with Pakistani bowler Ali Raza, following Raza's aggressive celebration after dismissing Suryavanshi. Suryavanshi gestured towards his shoe while speaking to the bowler.
Notably, this isn't the first instance of strained interactions between Indian and Pakistani players in recent matches. In September 2025, during the senior men's Asia Cup, Suryakumar Yadav chose not to shake hands with Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha and other players. The Indian team also declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi after defeating Pakistan in the final, reportedly due to instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Despite the controversies, the U19 Asia Cup final saw Pakistan's Sameer Minhas score a remarkable 172 runs off 113 balls, propelling Pakistan to a total of 347 for eight. In response, India was bowled out for 156 in 26.2 overs, with Ali Raza taking four wickets. Following the match, Indian players did not join the trophy presentation ceremony with Naqvi, collecting their runners-up medals separately. Naqvi then presented the winners' medals to the Pakistan U19 players. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a cash reward of Rs10 million for each team member of the Pakistan U19 team.
