Islamabad, December 22, 2025: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Monday that the board will formally approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding what he described as “provocative behaviour” by Indian players during the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup 2025 final.
The announcement came during a reception hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to honour Pakistan’s victorious Under-19 side, which defeated arch-rivals India by 191 runs at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Sunday.
Naqvi expressed concern over the conduct of the Indian players, stating, “Indian players kept provoking Pakistani players during the Under-19 Asia Cup final. Pakistan will formally inform the ICC about the incident. Politics and sports should always be kept separate.”
Sarfaraz Ahmed, former Pakistan captain and mentor of the Under-19 team, also criticised India’s behaviour, calling it “unethical” and against the spirit of cricket. “Despite that, we celebrated our victory with sportsmanship. Cricket should always be played in the right spirit; what India did reflects their own actions,” he said.
Officials highlighted that Pakistan’s emphatic victory capped a remarkable campaign, demonstrating the team’s discipline, resilience, and maturity under pressure. Both Naqvi and Sarfaraz emphasised the importance of maintaining sportsmanship and fair play while seeking redress for unsporting conduct.
The PCB’s move to alert the ICC comes amid a history of strained cricketing ties between Pakistan and India, with incidents of player confrontation and geopolitical tensions often spilling onto the field. The board said it would provide full documentation of the events to ensure appropriate action by the international governing body.
