Sunil Gavaskar Slams Pakistan Cricket Team for Their Cheap Tactics in Asia Cup

Legendary Indian batter and former captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their behaviour in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.

The PCB has skipped mandatory pre-match media sessions and delayed their group stage game against the UAE by an hour while demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft.

The controversy began after India refused post-match handshakes with Pakistan following their group stage clash. PCB then wrote multiple emails to the ICC, claiming Pycroft had failed to uphold the spirit of the game.

Writing in his Sportstar column, Gavaskar called PCB’s complaints hard to understand.

“There is nothing in the rule books that says handshakes are mandatory. Many sports have seen opponents not shake hands, yet the ICC rightly ignored Pakistan’s protest,” he wrote.

He also criticised Pakistan for avoiding the mandatory media meet before their match against the UAE.

“They did not send the captain, players, or coach to meet the media. Anyone from the support staff could have done it, but that did not happen,” Gavaskar added.

Gavaskar expressed disbelief that the match was delayed by an hour over the referee issue.

“If PCB had issues with Pycroft, they had two full days after their loss to India to raise them. Holding the game to ransom is unacceptable,” he wrote.

Minutes before the match, PCB claimed Pycroft apologised for his “regrettable actions.” Gavaskar called this choice of words misleading.

“To avoid embarrassment for Pakistan’s captain, the word ‘avoidable’ would have been apt. Suggesting otherwise shows a warped way of thinking,” he said.

He concluded by warning about the precedent set. “No other team should be allowed to delay a game for political reasons. This behaviour mixes sport and politics and sets an unsavoury precedent,” Gavaskar wrote.