Social media zoomed when Abrar Ahmed and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga exchanged a warm show of respect after their light chatter during their Asia Cup meeting in Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
The scenes after the match let the two spinners smile and hug, shortly after an airy exchange on the field where both each other’s wicket celebrations had simulated.
What started when light chatter – Abrar copying the celebration of Hasaranga after rejecting him, followed by Hasaranga who playing Abrar playfully when he removed Saim Ayub – ended in a wonderful representation of sportiness.
Instead of taking offense, both cricketers embraced the rivalry with humor and won the hearts of millions.
Cricket fans shared clips and photos of the moment and describe it as an example of “sportiness” and “the beauty of this sport” in a very competitive setting.
Some users of social media went further and suggested that players from other teams, in particular India, could take note of the gestures of Abrar and Hasaranga as an example of positive behavior on and outside the field.
The criticism quickly snowed, with many who accused India from dragging politics to sport.
For many, the Abrar-Hasaranga exchange became more than just a nice highlight it was a lesson in humility that they think that India refuses to learn.
Pakistan-India encounters, on the other hand, have led to a debate on sportiness in the same tournament.
Indian players were seen during the pitch and again after the end of the game, avoiding the usual handshake with their Pakistani counterparts.
The fans criticized these incidents as a contempt for the spirit and beauty of the game, in which they traditionally noticed the absence of gestures that are traditionally associated with cricket as the ‘gentlemen’ game.
Pakistan today took a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the crucial Super Fours competition to keep the hope alive before continuing to the final of Asia Cup 2025.
Green shirts will be confronted with Bangladesh on Thursday in the next game.
