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"Rude, arrogant gestures on the field..": 1983 WC winner wants Indo-Pak camaraderie restored

Akshita Patel

Syed Kirmani on India-Pakistan standoff [Source" @rudemiss18, @RCBTweets/X.com]Syed Kirmani on India-Pakistan standoff [Source" @rudemiss18, @RCBTweets/X.com]

World Cup-winning wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani has delivered a strong rebuke to modern-day cricket, calling the current era “absolutely depressing.” The 75-year-old said the sport has lost its spirit, which it was once known for, with rude gestures and politics creeping into the game.

The recent Asia Cup 2025 saw three high-voltage India-Pakistan clashes, all filled with confrontations, from Haris Rauf and Jasprit Bumrah’s fighter jet gestures to Abhishek Sharma eyeballing Shaheen Afridi.

On top of that, Indian players refused to shake hands after matches and even declined to accept the trophy from ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi over his controversial social media posts.

Syed Kirmani slams India-Pakistan standoff

Speaking to ANI after India’s Asia Cup 2025 triumph, Syed Kirmani expressed his disappointment at how heated things have become, especially between India and Pakistan.

"The way cricket is being played all around — I won’t like to take the names of the countries — by and large, there has been no gentleman-ness in the game. There have been very rude, arrogant gestures on the field. I’m not referring to only the Asia Cup,” Kirmani said.

Kirmani revealed that his friends from around the world had reached out to him, asking about the politics being brought into the field of cricket.

"Indian team ko kya ho gaya hai? Yeh kya politics chal rahe hain on the field? I’m ashamed to listen to the comments from my friends,” Kirmani said. “My friends say, ‘Your time was different. You played like gentlemen. But what has happened to the current era of cricketers globally?'” he added.

Kirmani wants India-Pakistan to keep politics aside

The 1983 World Cup winner reminded players that politics should never mix with sports. He recalled how, in his playing days, India and Pakistan players shared great camaraderie, hospitality, and affection, something he feels is missing now.

“It is very depressing to me the way things are going on in the sporting field, particularly in cricket. It is not the right thing that has happened. Politics should not enter sports in general. Leave politics behind. 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 politics (political causes). In our time, cricketers had such wonderful camaraderie. Pakistani players coming to India, us going to Pakistan. What hospitality, what love, what affection. I have to put my head down as a cricketer."

The Asia Cup itself was played under tense circumstances, coming after the Pahalgam terror attacks and Operation Sindoor, which added emotional weight to the rivalry. Still, for legends like Syed Kirmani, the bigger concern is clear: cricket’s soul is being lost.