Mohammad Yousuf has come under heavy criticism online for his derogatory remarks against India captain Suryakumar Yadav following Pakistan’s defeat in their Asia Cup 2025 clash on Sunday. Facing widespread backlash, Yousuf attempted to clarify his stance by saying he had not intended any disrespect toward “any sportsman who plays for his country with passion and grace.” However, he pointedly avoided mentioning Suryakumar by name in his post on X.
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…
— Mohammad Yousaf (@yousaf1788) September 16, 2025
His statement did not come across as an apology. Instead, the former Pakistan batter shifted focus and launched an attack on ex-India fast bowler Irfan Pathan. Yousuf accused Irfan of insulting Shahid Afridi in a previous interview, claiming Indian fans and media had hypocritically praised the former pacer at the time. “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 about dignity and respect?” Yousuf wrote.
His Comment
Adding fuel to the fire, Yousuf had earlier mispronounced Suryakumar’s name during a TV debate, calling him “Suar Kumar” (pig). Even after being corrected by the show’s presenter, he repeated the slur and further accused India of influencing match referee Andy Pycroft so that no handshake would take place at the toss. He went on to criticise other Indian players during the heated discussion.
Cry more Mohammad Yusuf aka Yusuf Yohana who changed his name in pakistan because he was of lower standard in pakistan
Surya Kumar yadav will burn entire pakistan again and again pic.twitter.com/477erU1LzH
(@_livlovlaugh) September 16, 2025
1983 WC Winner Reacts
Madan Lal, former India fast bowler and 1983 World Cup winner, condemned Yousuf’s behaviour. He said the comments reflect poorly on the character of Pakistan’s cricketing fraternity. Meanwhile, ex-Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi and Rashid Latif also sparked controversy by going overboard in their criticism of India’s handshake snub. In contrast, Shoaib Akhtar expressed disappointment at India’s actions but explained he would have still carried out the traditional handshake with opponents in any situation.
Reacting strongly, Madan Lal criticised Yousuf’s conduct. “Look, you must have seen the former Pakistani cricketers, how much they criticise their team. You can see the frustration. They have started abusing the other team’s players. This shows how educated they are. Abusing anyone is not a good thing. I think we are unnecessarily giving them publicity. This is what they want: publicity. All the YouTubers talk about India and make their hits. This is their moral principle. The more bitter we speak about India, the more they will benefit,” he told ANI.
The rising tensions spilled over into scheduling. On the eve of their must-win match against the UAE, Pakistan cancelled both their training session and pre-match press conference. If they withdraw from the game, elimination from the tournament would follow. Hours later, India also cancelled their scheduled practice and media session for September 17. Neither board offered a formal explanation, but the decisions are widely seen as the latest development in a tournament increasingly overshadowed by political and sporting tension