The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to take the issue of on-field conduct to the International Cricket Council following the Under-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai. The move comes after Pakistan U-19 team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed accused Indian players of acting inappropriately during the summit clash on Sunday.
Pakistan defeated India by 191 runs in a one-sided encounter. After posting a total of 347 runs, the Pakistan bowlers ran through India’s batting to seal a huge victory. The win ended a long wait for the title, giving Pakistan their first Under-19 Asia Cup crown in 13 years and only their second overall in the tournament.
Indian Players Kept Provoking Pakistani Players – PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi
Mohsin Naqvi said that the board will formally raise concerns with the International Cricket Council over player conduct during the Under-19 Asia Cup final.
Your daily dose of cricket!
Speaking to the media at a reception for the U-19 team hosted by Shehbaz Sharif, Naqvi alleged that Indian players repeatedly provoked Pakistan’s cricketers during the match. He urged the governing body to ensure discipline and respect are maintained at the junior international level.
“Indian players kept provoking Pakistani players during the Under-19 Asia Cup final,” Naqvi said. “Pakistan will formally inform the ICC about the incident. Politics and sports should always be kept separate.”
Indian Players Behaved Inappropriately – Sarfaraz Ahmed
Earlier, Sarfaraz Ahmed criticized the behaviour of Indian players during the Under-19 Asia Cup final. He said that their actions went against the spirit of the game. Sarfaraz added that Pakistan’s players stayed calm and did not cross any limits during their celebrations.
“Indian players behaved inappropriately and their conduct was against the spirit of the game. Despite their questionable behaviour, we didn’t cross the line during our celebrations. Cricket should be played in the right spirit,” Sarfaraz said.
This is not the first time tensions have risen between India and Pakistan in cricket. Similar issues happened during the senior men’s Asia Cup, where both boards complained about player behaviour in several matches, including the final.
Suryakumar Yadav was fined for his comments, Jasprit Bumrah was warned for a gesture, Haris Rauf was fined and banned for two matches, and Sahibzada Farhan received a reprimand.
Pakistan’s Pace Attack Triggers Collapse After Massive Total
Pakistan scored 347 runs for the loss of eight wickets, led by Sameer Minhas’ 172 off 113 balls, which included 17 fours and nine sixes. Chasing such a huge target, India needed a special effort but were quickly put under pressure by Pakistan’s pace attack.
India began the chase at a fast pace despite losing Ayush Mhatre early. Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed 21 runs in the first over, while Aaron George struck three fours in an over as India scored at 10 runs per over early on.
The match turned when George was caught on the last ball of the fourth over, and Suryavanshi perished on the very next delivery. India slipped from 49/1 to 49/3 in two balls, triggering a collapse. Pakistan’s pacers Ali Reza (4/42), Mohammad Sayyam (2/38), and Abdul Subhan (2/29) dismissed India for 156 in 26.2 overs.
