The India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Group A match held on September 14 in Dubai ended in a highly charged atmosphere that overshadowed India's seven-wicket
victory. And with the dust not settled, the two teams will meet again on Sunday (September 21), in a Super Four match.
The post-match handshake, a long-standing cricketing tradition symbolizing sportsmanship, became a controversial non-event. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and his team deliberately avoided shaking hands with the Pakistani side, citing political tensions and recent military confrontations between the two nations.
Yadav stated that the Indian team's win itself was their "fitting response," aligning with directives from the BCCI and Indian government.
The match referee, Andy Pycroft, was alleged to instruct the captains pre-match to skip the customary handshake at the toss, but crucially, Pakistan's side was not informed that the no-handshake approach would continue post-match. This led to an awkward situation where Pakistani players, led by captain Salman Ali Agha and coach Mike Hesson, approached the Indians for handshakes after the game, only to be met with closed dressing room doors and no reciprocity. Pakistan formally lodged a complaint citing India's behavior as against the spirit of cricket. Agha even boycotted the post-match interview as a protest.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) escalated the situation by demanding the removal of Pycroft from officiating further Asia Cup matches, accusing him of violating ICC's Spirit of Cricket and showing bias toward India. They also threatened to boycott their next match against UAE unless Pycroft was removed.
Will India and Pakistan players shake hands in Super Four Match?
Pakistan also cancelled their Asia Cup 2025 pre-match press conference ahead of the Super Four match on Saturday, thus further indicating the matter is far from settled. The ICC vs PCB duel continues to boil as the Pakistan cricket board is refusing to come to terms.
With this tense history, the upcoming Super Four match between India and Pakistan on Sunday is unlikely to see any handshake between players after the game. The ongoing political tension, the unresolved grievances from the previous match, and the official complaints lodged make a display of sportsmanship through handshakes improbable. The focus for both teams will likely remain on the cricket itself rather than on symbolic gestures.
So, will India and Pakistan players shake hands on Sunday? Given recent events and prevailing tensions, the answer is likely not.
