Archive · 4 Oct 2026
Akmal Criticizes Ayub’s Baby-Cradle Send-Off in Asian Games Final
India and Pakistan played in the Asian Games cricket final in Japan.
Pakistan’s Saim Ayub got India’s young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out for 15 runs.
Ayub then appeared to make a rocking-baby gesture.
Some people saw it as a send-off to Sooryavanshi.
Former Pakistan player Kamran Akmal criticized the gesture and said team managers should address such behavior.
He said players were doing these things for social media.
India won the match by 19 runs and kept the gold medal.
The teams did not exchange their usual handshakes.
Saim Ayub dismissed India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for 15 off nine balls in the 2026 Asian Games men’s cricket final.
Ayub appeared to make a rocking-baby gesture after the wicket, which was perceived as a send-off.
Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal said such on-field antics were being done for social media and urged team management to address them.
India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in Nagoya to retain the gold medal; the teams did not exchange customary handshakes.
India reached the final by beating Sri Lanka by 124 runs, while Pakistan advanced with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh.
- Who
- Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal.
- What
- Ayub dismissed Sooryavanshi and made an apparent rocking-baby gesture; Akmal criticized the action.
- When
- The final was played on October 3, 2026; the report was published October 4, 2026.
- Where
- Nagoya, Japan, during the 2026 Asian Games.
- Why
- Akmal said players’ on-field antics were being done for social media and urged management to address them.
Criticism of the gesture
Gesture as a match moment
Ayub’s celebration
Criticism of the gesture
Kamran Akmal criticized the gesture, saying players do such things for social media and that management should address the behavior. The show’s presenter also said such actions did not look good.
Gesture as a match moment
The match report described the rocking-baby celebration as an animated reaction after Pakistan claimed an important wicket; it does not report a response from Ayub explaining his intent.
- Competition
- 2026 Asian Games men’s cricket final
- Final result
- India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs and retained the gold medal
- Dismissal
- Saim Ayub dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for 15 off nine balls
- Gesture
- Ayub appeared to make a rocking-baby gesture after the wicket
- Kamran Akmal’s response
- He criticized the on-field antics and urged management to address them
- India’s semifinal
- Beat Sri Lanka by 124 runs; Sooryavanshi scored 38 off 21 balls
- Pakistan’s semifinal
- Beat Bangladesh by six wickets
- Handshakes
- The teams did not exchange customary handshakes
