Handshake fiasco: Ricky Ponting clears air on fake India Vs Pakistan comments

WEB DESK: Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has found himself at the center of a social media storm, after fake comments critical of India’s cricket team were falsely attributed to him following a highly charged Asia Cup T20 match between India and Pakistan.

The controversy erupted after India’s decision not to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts post-match. The incident sparked backlash over what many viewed as poor sportsmanship. The match, which was the first encounter between the two nations since the May conflict, saw India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav refuse to shake hands with Pakistan’s skipper Salman Ali Agha at the coin toss and the Indian team subsequently walking off without engaging with their opponents after their victory.

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While this unsporting conduct was met with criticism from several quarters, the situation was further inflamed when fake quotes, purportedly from Ponting, began circulating online. The fabricated comments claimed that Ponting had said, “This match will be remembered forever, India the big loser,” and praised Pakistan’s gesture of offering a handshake despite their defeat. The viral quote also called India “the perpetual sore loser,” in stark contrast to Pakistan’s sportsmanship.

These comments quickly spread through social media platforms and were even picked up by some news outlets, especially in India. However, Australian cricket reporter Daniel Brettig from The Age was quick to debunk the claims, pointing out that Ponting had made no such remarks and that the broadcaster mentioned in the fake quotes, Sky Sports, was not even covering the Asia Cup.

Ponting himself took to social media to clarify the situation, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “I am aware of certain comments being attributed to me on social media. Please know that I categorically did not make those statements and indeed have made no public comment about the Asia Cup at all.”

In the aftermath of the incident, Australian cricket journalist Daniel Cherny slammed the situation as a “cesspit of lies,” calling out the viral spread of misinformation.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan’s coach Mike Hesson also expressed disappointment over India’s lack of sportsmanship after the match. “We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game,” Hesson said. “We were disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that. We sort of went over there to shake hands and they were already going to the changing room. That was a disappointing way for the match to play out.”

Ponting, who is currently the head coach of the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been involved in T20 coaching since 2014. Despite the controversy, he has refrained from commenting further on the Asia Cup incident.