The Asia Cup 2025 showdown between India and Pakistan wrapped up with more frost than friendship, as players once again left without the usual post-match handshake.
India successfully chased down a 172-run target to defeat Pakistan by six wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya scored the winning runs in the penultimate over. However, neither Indian nor Pakistani players stepped forward to shake hands.
The absence of the traditional handshake at the conclusion of the match has drawn attention, with observers pointing to a lack of sportsmanship and game spirit between the two arch-rivals.
Neither team offered clarification, but the incident underscored the lingering tension surrounding one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries.
Earlier, India captain Suryakumar Yadav chose not to shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss ahead of their match on Sunday.
After winning the toss, Suryakumar elected to bowl first and walked straight past Pakistan’s skipper to Ravi Shastri for the pre-match discussion, while Salman Ali Agha mirrored the gesture.
India won the politically charged Group A match by seven wickets last week, and their players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani opponents after the game.
Suryakumar dedicated India’s victory to their armed forces, while several of his teammates took to social media to express similar thoughts.
Furious Pakistan considered withdrawing from the tournament to protest against match referee Andy Pycroft, who they say condoned unsportsmanlike behaviour by India.
They delayed their match against the United Arab Emirates by an hour on Wednesday and only went ahead with the game after an apology from Pycroft and the assurance of an inquiry by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The handshake snub comes in the backdrop of an ongoing row between the arch-rivals, stemming from the group-stage clash, which attracted considerable attention both on and off the field.
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