 "Suryakumar Yadav dedicated India's win against Pakistan to Pahalgam terror attack victims. Image: AP")
India captain Suryakumar Yadav has been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his comments on the Pahalgam terror attack and about the military skirmish between India and Pakistan after their group match in the Asia Cup on September 14. The ICC rejected Suryakumar’s not-guilty plea and fined him 30 percent of his match fee.
The ICC said Suryakumar breached the code of conduct by making political comments. He had dedicated India’s victory to the armed forces involved in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May, which led to tensions between the two countries. This action comes after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint against the Indian captain.
Fans react to ICC’s sanctions
Fans and social media users have rallied behind SKY, calling the ICC decision “unacceptable.” Many feel that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should have done something for the Indian skipper. Meanwhile, others have slammed the ICC for treating SKY and Haris Rauf’s case the same way.
The above-mentioned game also saw India and Pakistan refusing to shake hands at the toss. During their second meeting in the Super 4 stage, several on-field confrontations took place involving players from both sides. In that game, Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan celebrated a half-century with a gun gesture, while Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi got involved in heated fights with Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.
Rauf even made gestures referring to the downing of aircraft and made 6-0 signs, suggesting Pakistan shot down six Indian fighter jets. As per several reports, the Pakistani bowler also faced disciplinary action from the ICC and has been fined 30 percent of his match fee.
The Asia Cup final is set to be played between India and Pakistan on Sunday. This is the first time that both teams have qualified for the final together. All eyes will be on how this controversy plays up in the summit clash.