You don’t need to be a former international cricketer or even a cricketing expert to realise that what the Indian cricket team did at the end of their match with Pakistan in the Asia Cup was just not cricket.

Many arguments can be used against the Indian team’s unsportsmanlike behaviour. Let’s start with the most obvious observations: If you’re going to boycott another country’s sports team, then do it fully – don’t play at all. But if you have decided to play the match against what you have deemed as an enemy country, then do it as if it’s a sport and not a war. And at least in cricket, which includes the shaking of hands by opposing team members once a match is over.

India seems to have conveniently forgotten that not one country in the world - not even its erstwhile allies – bought its narrative that Pakistan or anyone from or linked to Pakistan was behind the Pahalgam attack. In fact, Pakistan even offered to be part of a comprehensive inquiry into the matter as long as it would be carried out by an independent and neutral party.

As for Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav’s remarks to the media at the post-match ceremony, if he is so committed........

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