Southern hemisphere

Asian Cricket Council: Monty Panesar gave his verdict on the India-Pakistan controversy at the Asia Cup, and opined that the handshake and trophy snub was the bigger issue in the tournament. The continental event concluded on Sunday, with India bagging the title for the ninth time.

Team India returned home without the Asia Cup champions trophy after controversies took centre stage during the presentation ceremony. The former England cricketer stated that sports and politics should not be mixed; however, it is the team that ultimately makes the final decision.

“It was a brilliant win for India. They did really, really well. They performed superbly with the bat, and at one stage, after 10 overs, you think, well, Pakistan got a good chance. However, the bigger issue is not giving a handshake or picking up the trophy. But, you know, going forward, they probably, you know, should take the trophy. Sports and politics shouldn’t be mixed. However, that's ultimately up to the Indian team. At the moment, their cricket is doing the talking. As long as they're winning and they're winning trophies, they can do, you know, whatever they wish to do,” Panesar told IANS.