India skipper Suryakumar Yadav has been ruled guilty by the ICC for violating the code of conduct after making remarks hinting at the military clash between India and Pakistan following their Asia Cup group match on September 14, ESPNcricinfo reported on Friday.
The publication reported that ICC match referee Richie Richardson rejected Yadav’s not-guilty plea; however, it is not yet clear what his punishment was.
India, in response, have filed an appeal against the verdict.
This development comes a day after reports that the ICC formally reprimanded the Indian captain over his political statements after the Pakistan match. The ICC had held a hearing on an official complaint filed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in which it reportedly advised Yadav to refrain from making political statements in the future.
The PCB, in its complaint, accused the Indian captain of politicising cricket and violating the ICC’s code of conduct on neutrality.
Sources said the PCB submitted a detailed letter demanding strict action, claiming that Yadav’s remarks were against the spirit of the game and harmed cricket’s reputation. According to the foreign publication, the PCB had demanded that the top cricketing body impose a Level 4 sanction on Suryakumar, which is reserved for the most serious breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The issue arose during the high-profile game between the arch-rivals, which drew significant attention both on and off the field.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had also lodged a complaint against two Pakistan cricketers – Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf – against their on-field celebrations.
In a hearing in Dubai conducted by ICC match referee Richardson, Farhan and Rauf “submitted their written responses” to ICC match referee Richardson, who held a hearing in Dubai, sources told the media.
Both cricketers “denied” having any political intent in their on-field celebrations.
India and Pakistan only play in multinational tournaments as their bilateral ties have been stalled since 2012 over political tension.
In the Asia Cup 2025, the arch-rivals have so far faced off twice and are set to take on each other for the first time in the continental tournament’s final on Sunday.