Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan has shockingly stated that Suryakumar Yadav was wrong when he mentioned Operation Sindoor after the India vs Pakistan match.
Asia Cup 2025 turned into a political showdown when Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistan team.
After the 1st group match, Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the win to the families of victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. In the Super 4 match, things took an ugly turn when Haris Rauf and Sahibzada made derogatory celebrations, compelling the BCCI to launch a formal complaint.
Suryakumar Yadav and Haris Rauf were found guilty, and their 30 per cent match fee was deducted by the ICC.
Atul Wassan backed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s complaint against Pakistan players Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf over their conduct. Wassan stated that cricket should remain free of political messaging and that the players’ actions require proper explanation.
The BCCI has lodged a formal complaint with the ICC and match referee Andy Pycroft against Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final. Notably, the Indian board has demanded disciplinary action, citing conduct during the match that they deem beyond acceptable on-field behavior.
You Cannot Politicise This Platform of Cricket – Atul Wassan
During the Super Four match between India and Pakistan, Sahibzada Farhan celebrated his half-century with a controversial “gun-like” bat gesture. Haris Rauf responded to Indian fans near the boundary by signaling “0-6,” a reference to Pakistan’s unverified claims of downing six Indian fighter jets in May.
Speaking to ANI, Atul Wassan stated that cricket should not be used to convey political messages and that such actions violate the sport’s code of conduct. The former cricketer said that India’s complaint to the ICC is justified.
“India have sent its complaint to the ICC. Because you cannot politicise this platform of cricket, you cannot send a message. This is not allowed, This is not in the code of conduct. So if you have done it, then you will have to explain the connotation of it. So India is right,” Wassan said.
Suryakumar Yadav Also Made a Political Statement – Atul Wassan
Atul Wassan also stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board’s complaint against Suryakumar Yadav’s refusal to shake hands was not justified. Wassan added that Suryakumar Yadav also did wrong by taking the name of Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack in post-match comments.
“The platform used by Suryakumar Yadav also made a political statement. He took the name of Operation Sindoor and the name of Pahalgam. So I also felt that he did wrong. Because you had moved your point. You did not shake hands. You ignored them, you threw them in the field. After that, it should not have been done,” Wassan said.
“But Pakistan did it a week later, after doing all the crazy things in the world, now they thought to complain to the ICC. So I am saying from the first day that the handshake incident they came out for, their complaint was not justified,” he added.
We Had Decided That Playing Was Our Compulsion – Atul Wassn
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor spoke about the controversy over Indian players refusing to shake hands with Pakistan. Tharoor stated that political and military tensions should not interfere with the spirit of the game.
Wassan disagreed with Tharoor’s remark and added that India were doing a service to the cricketing ecosystem by playing. He further noted that expecting gestures like handshakes under these circumstances was unrealistic, given the broader context and pressures surrounding the match.
“I don’t agree with Shashi Tharoor. We had decided that playing was our compulsion. There has been a lot of discussion about it. Please see the timeline, and we are playing because we have to play forcibly. We have to play for the survival of this whole ecosystem. So we are doing a favour by playing and after playing, now don’t expect from us that we will shake hands,” he concluded.