Mohammad Yousuf reacts after abusing Suryakumar Yadav on national TV – "Why were Indians praising Irfan Pathan" – sportingnews.com

Saurav Goyal
The handshake controversy between India and Pakistan has now taken a new and ugly turn. Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf, once regarded as one of the finest batters of his era, shocked everyone by calling Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav a “pig” during a live TV debate.
After facing massive backlash online, Yousuf later tried to explain his words but ended up creating more controversy by dragging Irfan Pathan into the matter.
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During the discussion on a Pakistani sports channel, Yousuf mispronounced Suryakumar’s name as “S*ar Kumar,” which means pig.
Even when the presenter corrected him, Yousuf repeated the insult and went further to accuse India of influencing match referee Andy Pycroft in the ongoing Asia Cup.
His comments came after the handshake snub where Indian players walked straight back to their dressing room following their win over Pakistan.
The remark quickly spread on social media and fans from both countries strongly reacted, with many calling it a disgrace for a former international cricketer of Yousuf’s stature.
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Instead of a clear apology, Yousuf posted on X, claiming that he never wanted to disrespect any player who represents his country.
But he then shifted focus, asking why Indian media and fans had praised Irfan Pathan earlier when he had once made a harsh remark about Shahid Afridi. Yousuf questioned why that was accepted but his own words were being criticised.
I didn’t mean any disrespect to any sportsman who plays for his country with passion and grace, but why were the Indian media and people praising Irfan Pathan when he said that Shahid Khan Afridi was barking like a dog? Shouldn’t that have been rejected by everyone who talks…
His explanation invited even more criticism, with fans accusing him of trying to justify an offensive comment by bringing up unrelated incidents.
This clash comes at a time when India and Pakistan are already locked in a heated debate over the no-handshake drama during the Asia Cup 2025.
Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube had gone straight into the dressing room after India’s win, leaving Pakistan players waiting at the boundary line. Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha even skipped the post-match ceremony in protest.
MORE: Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 format, rules and schedule
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has since filed a complaint against match referee Andy Pycroft, accusing him of encouraging the snub.
They even threatened to pull out of the tournament if he wasn’t removed, though the ICC rejected their demand.
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Saurav Goyal is a Content Producer at the Sporting News with over two years of experience in covering cricket. An avid cricket fan for more than two decades, his passion for the game led him to writing. Since then, he’s been delivering the latest news and engaging content to keep cricket fans informed and entertained.

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