Pakistan knocks on ICC's door, demands immediate removal of match referee for staying silent on India's no-handshake row

"The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded the immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup," PCB and Asia Cup chief Mohsin Naqvi posted on X.

Also Read: 'No Indian player wanted to play vs Pakistan; forced because BCCI…'; Suryakumar and boys 'personally' against Asia Cup

The handshake saga has been going on for quite some time. It first made headlines during the Asia Cup captain's meet, when Pakistan captain Salman Agha left the stage instantly after the event ended and shook hands with the rest of the seven captains backstage later. Then, during yesterday's match toss, Suryakumar Yadav and Agha did not shake hands either. However, the tension really escalated at the end of the match, when the entire Indian team boycotted Pakistan, with players leaving the dugout and heading straight into the dressing room. The Pakistan team even tried to approach Team India, but they had locked their door, making the Men in Green wait in vain.

The likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal made their dissent feel loud and clear, in a common meltdown on a live TV channel. India and Pakistan are likely to face each other once again next Sunday in the Super Fours, and expect more sparks to fly with the handshake saga taking a dramatic turn.

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir joins no-handshake protest vs Pakistan, pats Suryakumar immediately, tells broadcaster to be 'honest'

Expect more drama in Round 2

The entire build-up to Sunday's India-Pakistan contest was filled with drama and emotions. With the nation still recovering from the heinous terrorist attacks in Pahalgam earlier this year in April, several boycott claims had taken over the country. India, despite standing in solidarity with the families of those whose lives were taken away, was left with no choice but to play against Pakistan once the Sports Ministry gave the go-ahead.

Boycotting the match was never an option, as the decision would have led to catastrophic repercussions, but Suryakumar Yadav and his men did what was in their hands, taking a firm stand against the nation that caused all the pain and destruction. India's actions may have hampered the spirit of the game, but as SKY rightfully pointed out, 'a few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit'.

Agha skipped the post-match presentation ceremony, with conflicting reports about the reason. Some suggest it was a protest against India, while others believe he wanted to avoid interacting with Sanjay Manjrekar, who was hosting the event.

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