'There has been no gentlemanness in the game. There have been very rude, arrogant gestures on the field.'
Syed Kirmani says he is disgusted at the controversy at the Asia Cup presentation ceremony in Dubai on Sunday and urged cricketers to keep politics out of the game.
In an unprecedented turn of events, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, also the chairman of Asian Cricket Council, denied the Indian cricket team the Asia Cup trophy, after they refused to accept the silverware from him.
It is understood that the BCCI had informed ACC officials that the Indian team would not accept the award from Naqvi, who is known for his pronounced anti-India stance.
Naqvi had posted cryptic videos of Cristiano Ronaldo's plane crash gesture celebrations, seemingly a reference to the Pakistani claims that six Indian jets were downed during Operation Sindoor.
Naqvi also pushed for Pakistan's demand that the ICC charge India Captain Suryakumar Yadav with a Level 4 offence for standing by the Indian army and showing solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
'There has been no gentlemanness in the game. There have been very rude, arrogant gestures on the field. I am not referring only to the Asia Cup which took place which India won. I am getting messages from all over the USA, UK, UAE... 'Indian team ko kya hua hai? (What has happened to the Indian team?) What is this politics going on in the field of sports?' Kirmani told ANI.
'I am ashamed to listen to the comments from my friends outside India that 'your time was different, you played like gentlemen. We have great regards and respect for you' but what has happened to the current era of cricketers globally they are asking.'
Kirmani, part of India's 1983 World Cup winning team, played 88 Tests and 49 ODIs from 1976 to 1986 and was regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers of his era.
'What has happened at the Asia Cup was disgusting' these are the words that have come in my messages. It is very depressing the way things are going on in the cricket field.'
'It is not the right thing which has happened, politics should not enter sports. leave politics aside.
'Whatever has transpired away from the sporting field, leave it there itself don't relate it to your winning amount or whatever you are earning from this great game of cricket. Don't dedicate it for noble causes or for flood relief, any noble cause quite understandable right but do not relate it to politics.'
© 2026