Salman Agha hits back at Suryakumar Yadav over handshake row ahead of final, backs Haris Rauf despite fine: ‘I haven't…'

Tensions between the two sides have been running high after India's refusal to do a traditional handshake with Pakistan players to show solidarity with the Pahalgam attack victims.

It escalated further when the Pakistan Cricket Board accused match referee Andy Pycroft of blocking the customary handshake between India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman during the group stage match. The PCB even threatened to withdraw from the series if Pycroft wasn’t replaced, but the ICC stood firm and rejected their demand.

Ahead of the big final against India, Salman finally gave his take on the matter and said he has not seen anything like that on the matter while suggesting that it isn't good for cricket.

“I started playing professional cricket since 2007, and I have not seen two teams not shaking hands. My father is also an avid cricket fan and I have heard stories from him too, so you can go back 20 years further and such an incident hasn't happened. I have heard nothing like this has happened in the past. India and Pakistan have played in the past, too, where the situations were worse than the current times, but still players used to shake hands. I think not shaking hands with each other isn't good for cricket,” Agha said in the pre-match press conference.

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“I have no problem with aggression”: Salman Agha

The players of both teams were involved in the heated altercations more than once in the Super 4 match when Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill were smashing the Pakistan bowlers all around the park. The duo exchanged words with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.

Meanwhile, Haris was fined 30 per cent of his match fees for rude and aggressive behaviour.

Salman said he doesn't have any problems with the bowlers showing some aggression on the field.

“If you take away the aggression from the fast bowlers, then I don't think he will bowl with the same effectiveness he should have, so I have no problem with that. If any individual wants to get aggressive on the field, be it from our side or their side, they are most welcome,” he added.

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