On Pakistan’s national television, former cricket player Mohammad Yousuf used an unpleasant phrase to criticise Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav for refusing to shake hands with Pakistani players after India won the Asia Cup 2025.
Yousuf ignored the anchor’s attempts to correct him and kept using a negative phrase to prefix Suryakumar’s name when talking about the handshake incident.
He further said that India had coerced match referee Andy Pycroft into acting unethically and that they had allowed political motivations to affect their behaviour on the cricket pitch.
“Indians can’t escape their cinematic universe. In this sense, films are always playing there. According to The Week, Yousuf stated on SAMAA TV channel that “India should be ashamed of the way they are trying to win – using umpires, torturing (Pakistan) by way of match referee, it is a high note.”
A low level rhetoric from Yousuf Yohana (converted) on a national TV program.
He called India captain Suryakumar Yadav as “Suar” (pig).
Shameless behaviour. And they demand respect, preach morality. pic.twitter.com/yhWhnwaYYq
— Slogger (@kirikraja) September 16, 2025
During the post-match presentation ceremony and the press conference that followed, Suryakumar also restated his team’s position after declining to shake hands with Pakistani players.
“The BCCI and our government were on the same page. We arrived here together, answered the phone, and I had the impression that we were only here to play the game. And we responded appropriately. As it is, I believe that some aspects of life are more important than sportsmanship,” Suryakumar remarked.
After allegedly telling Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Suryakumar at the toss, match referee Pycroft came under fire. Later, it was claimed that the Zimbabwean official did not disclose this modified process to Pakistan’s players until after the game was over.
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi responded by expressing his annoyance on X and formally complaining to the ICC, calling for Pycroft to be removed from the competition for the rest of it. But this plea has been formally denied by the ICC.