India and Pakistan played in a multinational cricket tournament, and Pakistan lost again! Although cricket's most anticipated and flagship encounter had the same outcome, the Asia Cup 2025 match has brought about an array of controversies with it.
India, playing for the first time against their neighbours since the heinous Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, walked off the pitch after Suryakumar Yadav hit the winning runs, without any customary handshakes. The two captains had no pleasantities during the toss as well.
After the match, the cold act from the Indian team was even more vivid. The Pakistan team, which was waiting at the ground, probably to shake hands with their Indian counterparts, was left cold and dry, as none of the Indian players
or staff emerged from their dressing room.
Since then, Pakistan has found an agenda, to divert away from their awful performance and create havoc for apparently not shaking hands - which they label as an act against the spirit of the game. Immediately after the match, their captain Salman Ali Agha decided not to attend the post-match presentation. Pakistan cited the no handshake being the reason for their absence in the presentation, but is that the case?
As per reports, Pakistan deliberately didn't attend the post-match presentation as it was being hosted by an Indian. As Sanjay Manjrekar was hosting the post-match presentation, Pakistan decided to skip it and subsequently justified the case as a reaction to India's handshake snub. Pakistan captain Salman Agha was absent, but Shaheen Afridi was present in the ceremony to receive his award as he won a memento for hitting most sixes in the match.
India legend Sunil Gavaskar also took apart Agha for his snub and mentioned his absence was not felt, as the people were only keen to listen to the winning captain.
"I don't think it (Salman Agha's absence) made much difference anyway - people mainly wanted to hear what the winning captain had to say, not excuses from the other side," Gavaskar said to India Today.
Pakistan have subsequently threatened to boycott their next match against UAE, as they also demand the suspension of match referee Andy Pycroft, whom they blame for the entire lack of handshake controversy. As UAE won against Oman, a boycott from Pakistan will mean the end of their road in the competition.
