Pakistan beat India in the ICC U-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai to clinch the title. It was Sameer Minhas’ who was the biggest hero of the match for Pakistan as he pretty much single-handedly took the game away from India, scoring a record-shattering 172 runs off 113 deliveries. Along with Minhas, Ahmed Hussain also chipped in with a 72-ball 56 as Pakistan posted a massive 347/8 after being asked to bat first.
In response, India were bundled out for 156 with their number 10 batter Deepesh Devendran top-scoring for them with 36. However, days after the cricketing action has concluded and Pakistan walked away with the U-19 Asia Cup trophy, after a few heated exchanges between the players during the match, Pakistan may escalate the issue at the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Politics and sports should always be kept separate: Mohsin Naqvi
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi who is also heading the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has said that he will lodge a formal complaint at the ICC after Pakistan U-19 team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed complained about Indian players’ behaviour in the final. He made the remarks at the reception for the U-19 team in Pakistan hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“Indian players kept provoking Pakistani players during the Under-19 Asia Cup final,” Naqvi said while speaking to the media.
“Pakistan will formally inform the ICC about the incident. Politics and sports should always be kept separate.”
Sarfaraz Ahmed terms India’s behaviour inappropriate
“India’s behaviour during the game was not appropriate, and their conduct was against the spirit of cricket,” Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former Pakistan captain under whose leadership the senior team beat India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, said.
“Despite that, we celebrated our victory with sportsmanship. Cricket should always be played in the right spirit; what India did reflects their own actions,” he added.
Both India and Pakistan players were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the men’s senior Asia Cup 2025 with the likes of Haris Rauf and Suryakumar Yadav among the players to have been reprimanded by the world cricket governing body.
In case, Pakistan do file an official complaint, it remains to be seen what action ICC takes against the Indian U19-side led by Ayush Mhatre and boasting of players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi.