Pakistan Under-19 cricket team mentor and former national captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has slammed India for their “unethical conduct” during the 2025 ACC Men’s Asian Cup final.
The Green Shirts beat their main rivals in the final on Sunday, triggering scenes of jubilation in the Pakistani camp in Dubai.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Sarfaraz criticized the Indian team’s behavior during the final.
“India’s behavior regarding the game was not good, and the Indian team’s conduct in cricket was unethical,” he said. “But we celebrated the victory with sportsmanship, because there should always be sportsmanship in cricket; what India did was their own doing.”
Cricket relations between the two neighboring countries have remained strained due to geopolitical tensions.
In September, India’s Suryakumar Yadav snubbed the usual handshakes with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and the players during their three 2025 Asia Cup matches, including the final.
The absence of the traditional handshake at the end of matches has attracted worldwide attention, with observers highlighting the lack of sportsmanship and playfulness on India’s part.
The Indian team also refused to collect the 2025 Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi after beating Pakistan in the final by five wickets.
The decision was reportedly taken following directives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“Cash reward of Rs10 million for each team member”
Later, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a cash reward of Rs 10 million for each member of the team in recognition of their historic feat.
Prime Minister Shehbaz announced the award at a luncheon organized for the U19 Asia Cup winning team at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Prime Minister also announced Rs2.5 million for support staff.
“You have handed the opposition a defeat they could not even imagine. We beat India at Bunyan-um-Marsoos,” he told the players and staff.
Acknowledging his team’s triumph, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the Green Shirts had lifted the nation’s head with pride, adding: “You have won the hearts of 240 million people.”
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi said that the credit for winning the tournament goes to the team for remaining focused on the match.
He also noted that the cricket board was building a high performance center in Lahore, which would benefit the players.
