After a series of controversies during the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, former India captain Kapil Dev urged his fellow cricketers to “move on” and focus on the sport rather than political tensions. His comments came after Indian players made headlines for snubbing a handshake and refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Dev, who captained India to a World Cup win in 1983, emphasized that while players naturally have strong feelings for their country, these emotions should not interfere with sportsmanship. “Shaking hands is not a big thing. You didn’t shake hands; it does not matter,” he said, addressing the controversy over the lack of post-match formalities.
He added, “But you can’t linger on these things. You have to finish, you have to move on. Let the government and the politicians do their job.”
The former cricketer also called on the media to focus on the sporting aspects of the game. “Yes, the media has the responsibility to bring everything to the table, but as a sportsman, I would like to see that we stick to sports,” he added.
The Asia Cup was marred by several incidents, including the handshake snub during matches and the refusal of the Indian team to receive the trophy after their victory over Pakistan in the final.
