Asia Cup: Tempers flare in Dubai; Gill goes after Shaheen, Abhishek gets involved in heated exchange with Haris

Dubai [UAE], September 21 (ANI): Young swashbuckler Abhishker Sharma and Pakistan tearaway Haris Rauf engaged in a heated altercation moments during the Super Fours clash at the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.

During India’s pursuit of a 172-run target, Abhishek’s top-edge flew past the boundary rope for a six on the first ball of the innings. While going over to meet his partner, Shubman Gill, at the other end, he mouthed a couple of words, adding spice to the throbbing fixture.

Shades of Aamer Sohail going up against Venkatesh Prasad in 1996 echoed decades later at the Dubai International Stadium after Gill had a go at Shaheen, who just turned back and walked off. On the final delivery of the third over, Gill ambled down the track and targeted extra-cover to pick up a four.

Things heated up as tempers flared on the field after the end of that shot. Gill looked at Shaheen and pointed with his hand where the ball went. The tension boiled over in the final ball of the fifth over. Gill flawlessly executed a short-arm jab to send the ball racing away for a four. After the end of the over, Abhishek and Rauf got into a fierce exchange, which forced Umpire Gazi Sohel to get involved and separate the two.

The tone of the contest was set after India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha once again refrained from engaging in the customary tradition of shaking hands before the toss. After Suryakumar won the toss and finished explaining the reason behind his decision to field first and the couple of changes they made, he turned away and went to join his team. This is the second time the two captains have not shaken hands in the tournament.

During the group-stage encounter between the two neighbouring nations, which India won by seven wickets, Suryakumar and Salman turned heads by not engaging in the traditional handshake during the toss. During the toss, neither skipper maintained eye contact nor tried to initiate a handshake and eschewed the gesture.

India’s stance was linked to the strained relations between the two nations in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, during which 26 tourists were killed on April 22 by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the name of religion. (ANI)

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