TV
Suryakumar Yadav’s India are once again set to clash with Pakistan, this time in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The big question ahead of the high-voltage encounter is whether the Indian team will continue its no-handshake stance against their arch-rivals, following the events of last Sunday (September 14).
After India’s emphatic seven-wicket victory in that match, the Indian players avoided handshakes with the Pakistan side and even closed their dressing-room doors when Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha and coach Mike Hesson came by. At the toss as well, Suryakumar refrained from shaking hands or making eye contact with his opposite number.
The incident left the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) displeased, prompting them to lodge a complaint with the ICC regarding match referee Andy Pycroft’s handling of the situation. Several former Pakistan cricketers—including Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Mohammad Yousuf—voiced criticism, accusing India of disregarding the “spirit of cricket.”
The backdrop made the situation even more sensitive, as this was the first Indo-Pak match since the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Leading up to the contest, many Indian fans had called for a boycott, slamming the BCCI for proceeding with the fixture despite heightened national sentiments.
Therefore, it came as little surprise when a journalist pressed Suryakumar on whether the team would adopt the same approach in the upcoming match. The Indian T20 captain, however, chose not to give a direct answer.
