Not shaking fingers just isn’t good for cricket: Salman Agha

On the eve of Sunday’s Asia Cup closing, Pakistan skipper Salman Agha weighed into the handshake row for the primary time because it flared up after the group-stage assembly versus India on September 14. After a seven-wicket win in a Group-A fixture, India’s gamers and help workers had refused to trade handshakes with the Pakistan contingent. There was no change in India’s stance for the second assembly within the Super Four part both.

“I began enjoying cricket professionally in 2007 on the under-16 degree. I’ve by no means seen two groups not trade handshakes after a match,” the 31-year-old middle-order batter mentioned on the pre-match press convention on Saturday.

“My father can be a cricket fan and he has additionally by no means instructed me about something like this taking place both. Matches between India and Pakistan have occurred earlier than as effectively. The scenario has been tense earlier than as effectively, however handshakes had been a part of the conference. Not shaking fingers just isn’t good for cricket.”

In a match that has witnessed extra off-field drama than engrossing on-field motion, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan have triggered ire for his or her “provocative gestures” over the past assembly between the 2 groups. While Farhan celebrated his half-century with a machine-gun gesture, Rauf depicted the downing of an plane whereas fielding on the boundary.

Asked whether or not it’s incumbent on the captain to restrain his gamers throughout Sunday’s closing, Agha mentioned: “Every participant is aware of find out how to cope with his feelings. I give a free hand to gamers to react the way in which they need so long as they don’t disrespect anybody. Within the boundaries, I’ve no drawback with aggression from any participant, whether or not it’s from our group or our opponent.”