IND vs PAK handshake row: PCB lodges protest, PAK ex-cricketers lash out

A storm has erupted at the Asia Cup after Pakistan formally lodged a protest with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) over Indian players’ refusal to shake hands following their seven-wicket victory in Dubai. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) labelled the gesture “unsporting” and boycotted the post-match presentation in response.

 

Team manager Naveed Cheema filed a complaint, accusing India of going against the spirit of the game. “As a protest we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony,” the PCB said in its late-night statement. The incident has raised concerns that further flashpoints may occur, with India and Pakistan potentially clashing twice more in the tournament.  Check Asia Cup 2025 full coverage here

 

 

India cites solidarity with terror victims

 

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav defended the no-handshake call, saying it was a collective team decision rooted in solidarity with victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Twenty-six Indian tourists were killed in the strike carried out by Pakistan-backed militants, prompting India to launch Operation Sindoor in retaliation.

 

“We took a team call. Some things are beyond sportsmanship. This victory is dedicated to our armed forces and to the families of the victims of Pahalgam,” Suryakumar said after the emphatic win.

 

Even before the match began, Suryakumar refrained from shaking hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss, further stoking tensions. 

 

Suryakumar Yadav press conference after India vs Pakistan match 

  Pakistan calls out breach of spirit

 

Pakistan’s management expressed displeasure at both the toss incident and the snub after the match. Coach Mike Hesson said: “We wanted to shake hands but the opposition refused. Salman not attending the post-match presentation was a direct consequence.”

 

The PCB later clarified that match referee Andy Pycroft had instructed Salman not to shake hands at the toss, but insisted India’s conduct ran against the “spirit of cricket.”

 

Akhtar, Latif escalate criticism

 

Former Pakistan stars Rashid Latif and Shoaib Akhtar launched blistering attacks on India’s move. Latif accused India of politicising cricket, calling it “a wrong impression” that would remain “a blot for a lifetime.” He argued that even in times of war, players had maintained the tradition of handshakes. Linking the incident to the Pahalgam attack, Latif said: “If Pakistan is responsible, then go after those accountable. Don’t bring politics to the pitch.”  Check Asia up 2025 points table here

 

Akhtar, while praising India’s performance, urged the team to “show grace.” Speaking on PTV Sports, he said: “Hats off to India for their win, but don’t politicise sports. Show your grace, do the handshakes. Fights happen in every house, but you don’t carry them forward.”   

 

The big picture

 

The “handshake-gate” controversy now looms large over the tournament, overshadowing India’s dominant win. With the possibility of two more India-Pakistan encounters in the coming weeks, the row risks inflaming an already volatile sporting rivalry rooted in decades of political mistrust.  Find Asia Cup 2025 full schedule here

 

At its core, the episode underscores the fragile intersection of sport and geopolitics on the subcontinent. While India insists its stance is about honouring victims of terror, Pakistan sees it as the intrusion of politics into cricket. The fallout, if unchecked, may stretch beyond the Asia Cup and further harden fault lines in one of world cricket’s most high-voltage rivalries.    Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson press conference after IND vs PAK match