Dubai: India captain Suryakumar Yadav has been fined thirty percent of his match fee by the ICC for comments he made regarding the Pahalgam terror attack. The BCCI has filed an appeal against this penalty. Similarly, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf received a comparable sanction in ICC disciplinary action aimed at reducing tensions between the two teams.
Another Pakistani player, Sahibzada Farhan, received a warning from match referee Richie Richardson for his gun-fire celebration during Asia Cup match against India last Sunday.
According to tournament sources, the ICC will hold off on officially announcing the sanctions until the conclusion of the event, due to the sensitive nature of the matter. The announcement is expected on Monday, with the final match of the tournament between India and Pakistan scheduled for Sunday. India has won both encounters against Pakistan in the ongoing event.
Although a press release regarding the penalties was initially planned, the ICC decided to delay any official statement until the tournament concludes. The BCCI has expressed disagreement with Richardson’s ruling, arguing that Suryakumar Yadav’s actions in honoring the Indian Army and the victims of the Pahalgam attack should not be considered a breach of the Code of Conduct.
A source familiar with the situation stated that if the BCCI cannot defend its captain, it would create a poor perception. Accepting the warning would imply guilt, which the organization disputes. Suryakumar had dedicated India’s September 14 victory over Pakistan to the victims of the Pahalgam attack and the Indian armed forces. He pleaded not guilty during his hearing and was reportedly advised to avoid statements that could be seen as political for the rest of the tournament.
Haris Rauf was penalized for provocative behavior, including abusive language and hand gestures mocking plane crashes during the match. He insisted his actions were not political, but the match referee deemed them aggressive and abusive.
Sahibzada Farhan also pleaded not guilty to violating the code of conduct, explaining that his gun-fire celebration after scoring a half century was a traditional practice in his Pakhtun tribe.
The hearings for the Pakistani players were conducted by Richardson at their team hotel. Both Rauf and Farhan attended in person, providing written responses and accompanied by team manager Naveed Akram Cheema.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been heightened following India’s refusal to perform a traditional handshake with Pakistani players, as a mark of respect for the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
The Pahalgam attack in April claimed twenty-six lives in the Jammu and Kashmir tourism hub and was carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor in May to target terrorist infrastructure across the border. Diplomatic relations have since deteriorated, with India instituting a policy preventing bilateral engagement with Pakistan even at neutral venues.
However, India allowed matches between the two teams in multi-lateral competitions to comply with the Olympic Charter. Pakistan recently declined to send its hockey team to the Asia Cup in India citing security concerns. During the ongoing cricket tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board blamed match referee Andy Pycroft for India’s refusal to shake hands, claiming the official prohibited the gesture.