Cricket was once celebrated as a gentleman's game, a sport that thrived on fairness, humility and respect. Today, it stands dangerously close to losing that identity. The "no-handshake" controversy in the Asia Cup 2025 where Indian players walked off the field refusing to shake hands with Pakistan's team, followed by the victorious Indian team captain refusing to take the winning trophy from Pakistan's Mohsin Naqvi who happens to be the Asian Cricket Council's Chairman, is more than a symbolic snub — it is a troubling sign of how politics, power and profit are bleeding into the game.

The shadow of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) looms large over every corner of the cricketing world. With India generating nearly 40 per cent of the ICC's revenue through broadcasting and sponsorships, the BCCI has transformed financial dominance into political control. Decisions about hosting, scheduling and governance often bend to Indian priorities, while smaller boards, financially........

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