The Weekly Wicket: India-Pakistan Handshake Row to Mandhana’s ODI Ton Record – Top Highlights (PICS)

Asia Cup 2025 stole the spotlight this week, with tense moments between India and Pakistan, standout individual performances, and surprising developments off the field keeping cricket fans glued to every update.

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Top Cricket Highlights of the Week

The third week of September has been quite a rollercoaster ride for cricket fans, featuring Asia Cup 2025 controversy, historic milestones, and plenty of drama both on and off the field. This cricketing week has delivered a whirlwind of drama, from fiery clashes and nail-biting finishes to record-breaking feats that left fans on the edge of their seats.

Before the penultimate week of September begins, let’s take a look at the top cricket highlights of the concluding week that made headlines around the cricketing world.

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India vs Pakistan Handshake Controversy

The group stage Asia Cup 2025 clash between India and Pakistan was marred by controversy after the Men in Blue refrained from shaking hands with the players of the arch-rivals as a mark of protest against the Pahalgam terror attack, which took place on April 22. India’s handshake snub rattled the Pakistan cricket fraternity as PCB manager Naveed Cheema filed a complaint against match referee, Andy Pycroft, with the Asian Cricket Council, alleging that Zimbabwean official told both captains to avoid a handshake.

Thereafter, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also ACC chief, informed on his social media handles that he had lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Pycroft, accusing him of violating the code of conduct, and demanded his removal as the match referee from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.

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PCB at Loggerheads with ICC over Pycroft’s Removal

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s demand to remove Andy Pycroft as a match referee from the Asia Cup 2025 was rejected by the International Cricket Council (ICC), who did not find any fault committed by the Zimbabwean official over India’s handshake snub. Though Pakistan backed down on the boycott threat by reaching a ‘middle of the road’ agreement with the ICC, PCB once again pressed its case by writing a second mail to the world governing body of cricket, expressing its firm stance on the removal of Pycroft as match referee.

However, Pakistan played the match against the UAE after Andy Pycroft apologised for the miscommunication and the PCB withdrew its boycott, allowing the delayed match to go ahead. The Pakistan Cricket Board is reportedly facing disciplinary action by the ICC for breaching various violations, including filming inside the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA), spreading misinformation by claiming an ‘apology’ when the match referee had only expressed regret, and delaying a match against the UAE due to a protest over Pycroft’s role.

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Apollo Tyres roped in as Team India’s Jersey Sponsor

After Dream11's exit, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) roped in tyre manufacturing giant, Apollo Tyres, as Team India’s title sponsor. India’s jersey sponsor was left vacant after the BCCI parted ways with Dream11 after the Indian government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, effectively banning real-money online gaming platforms and their advertisements.

Apollo Tyres bagged the most lucrative deal with the BCCI with a contract worth INR 579 crore over a period of three years from 2025 to 2028. The three-year contract with the earlier title sponsor, Dream11, was INR 358 for the same period, making Apollo Tyres’ deal nearly 62% higher in value and the costliest jersey sponsorship in Indian cricket history.

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Oman Give India a Tough Contest

Oman put up a spirited and fighting performance against Team India in the final outing of their Asia Cup 2025 campaign. Chasing a 189-run target, the pair of Aamir Kaleem (64) and Hammad Mirza (51) gave the Men in Blue’s bowling attack a really hard time as their 93-run partnership for the second wicket kept Oman in the hunt till the 18th over, before Harshit Rana and Hardik Pandya struck a wicket each to turn the game in India’s favour.

Eventually, Oman fell 22 runs short of achieving the target, but their performance became one of the most talked about in the Asia Cup 2025, as the debutant almost clinched the victory from the powerhouse Men in Blue, earning praise for their fearless approach and disciplined batting display.

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Smriti Mandhana Records Fastest ODI century by Indian Batter

Team India women’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana scripted a historic feat in the third ODI against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Mandhana became the fastest Indian batter to score an ODI century, achieving the feat in just 50 balls. She shattered Virat Kohli’s record of 52 balls to the three-figure mark. Overall, the 29-year-old recorded the second-fastest century in Women’s ODIs.

Smriti Mandhana played a scintillating knock of 128 off 63 balls, including 17 fours and 5 sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 198.43 in Team India’s mammoth 413-run chase. However, her effort went in vain as the Women in Blue were bundled out for 369 in 47 overs, falling 34 runs short of the target, and also lost the ODI series 1-2.

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Arshdeep Singh completed 100 T20I wickets

Team India pacer Arshdeep Singh scripted history by becoming the first Indian male bowler to complete 100 wickets in the history of T20Is. He achieved this feat when he was brought into the attack in the final over of Oman’s run chase and dismissed Vinayak Shukla on the first delivery of the final over to complete the milestone.

Arshdeep Singh became the fastest pacer and overall, quickest after Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga to reach the 100-wicket mark in T20I cricket, cementing his place among the elite bowlers in the format. In his T20I career, the left-arm pacer has picked 100 wickets, including two 4-wicket hauls, at an average of 18.49 and an economy rate of 8.31 in 64 matches.

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India vs Pakistan 2.0 at Asia Cup 2025

Team India and Pakistan are set to lock horns again in the Super 4 clash of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. This encounter marks the second meeting between the two teams in the tournament, following India's seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the group stage of the tournament. The build-up to the clash is quite tense following India’s handshake snub, leading the PCB to write a letter to the ICC.

On the eve of the Super 4 clash, Pakistan cancelled the press conference, adding to the tension surrounding the rematch with India. Meanwhile, Andy Pycroft will reportedly be the match referee for the Super 4 clash between India and Pakistan.

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Bangladesh pull off thrilling victory over Sri Lanka

Bangladesh kicked off their Super 4 stage clash with a thrilling four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday. With a 169-run target, Bangladesh chased it down in 19.5 overs. Opener Saif Hassan led the run chase with a knock of 61 off 45 balls, while Towhid Hridoy scored 58 off 3 balls.

Despite a late wobble, Shamim Hossain's calm presence and crucial innings of 14 off 12 balls ensured Bangladesh crossed the line with a ball to spare. With Bangladesh’s victory, Sri Lanka's all-rounder Dasun Shanaka’s batting effort went in vain as his explosive, unbeaten knock of 64 off 37 balls helped the side post 168/7 in 20 overs.