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Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has gone public and stated that he would be making an official complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) with concerns regarding what he called ‘provocative behaviour’ of the India U19 players during the final match of ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup held in Dubai.
He gave his statement at a reception in honour of Pakistan’s Prime Minister after a dominant Pakistan victory in the tournament final. He claimed that the Indian team’s behaviour during the match was far beyond competitive limit and at one time or the other their actions the Indian side brought about the Pakistani players’ negative response during the game. The PCB president declared that the issue was so serious that it justified the escalation to cricket’s world governing body, besides stating his opinion that politics and sports should be kept separate.
The statements of U19 team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed who supported Pakistan’s position and aligned with Naqvi’s criticism by calling India’s behavior in the final ‘unethical’ and ‘not in the spirit of the game’, were a big support for Pakistan. Sarfaraz Kumar praised Pakistan’s players for their professionalism and sportsmanship in spite of what he considered as unwarranted provocation from their opponents. This accusation is made when the tension is already high between the two cricket boards, as a result of earlier controversies in senior competitions and misunderstandings over the customary post match protocols.
The ICC’s involvement represents a new development in what has been a long standing dispute between the two cricket boards that has transcended the field. In earlier confrontations, the cricket boards of both Pakistan and India have resorted to informal complaints to the ICC regarding the behavior of players and related issues, thus mirroring a recurring saga of off field disputes which usually accompany encounters between the two nations. The ICC’s eventual ruling, whoever it may be in favor of, will still convey the message that the PCB is seriously committed to obtaining an official acknowledgment and to having the Indian U19 team punished.
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