Handshake snub sparks controversy in India-Pakistan clash

No matter how frosty diplomatic relations may be between the two countries, it is always expected that on the field such tensions will be set aside in favour of sportsmanship. That is what Agha Salman and Shaheen Afridi perhaps had in mind as they stood waiting, hoping that Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube would at least shake hands with them as a gesture of courtesy. They expected others in the dugout to follow suit.

But in Dubai yesterday, during the Asia Cup group stage match, what Suryakumar and Dube did after securing India's victory was seen as a blatant disregard for the spirit of cricket. At the end of the game, not only did they refuse to shake hands with the Pakistanis, they did not even glance in their direction—heading straight towards the dressing room instead.

What followed was even more surprising. As soon as Suryakumar and Dube entered the dressing room, someone shut the door, apparently to prevent any Pakistan players from meeting the Indians.

In protest against such behaviour, Pakistan boycotted the post-match award ceremony. India, however, defended its decision, saying it was meant to stand in solidarity with the victims' families of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

The refusal to shake hands was not limited to the end of the match. During the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar also declined to shake hands with Pakistan's skipper Agha Salman. On his 35th birthday, after defeating Pakistan, Suryakumar represented India at the press conference.

Suryakumar said, "Look, I believe there are certain matters in life that go beyond sportsmanship. This was a collective decision taken by our government and the BCCI. We came here only to play against them and we have given the right response."

He added, "I also said during the award ceremony that we stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and their families. This victory is dedicated to our brave soldiers who took part in Operation Sindoor. They are always our inspiration, and if possible, we would like to inspire them in return."

Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson expressed disappointment over India's stance. He confirmed that the Pakistan team skipped the award ceremony in protest.

Hesson said, "We were all ready to shake hands after the match. But when the opposition refused, it was very disappointing. We approached them for a handshake, but they were already heading into the dressing room. It was a disappointing way to end the game. Given the way we played, we were frustrated. But I can assure you, we were prepared to shake hands."

On 22 April, several gunmen attacked civilians in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir. Twenty-six people were killed, including 25 Indians, and 20 others were injured. The Indian government believes Pakistan was behind the attack. The Resistance Front (TRF), a group India considers to be an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility.

The incident triggered a military conflict between India and Pakistan in May. At the time, the BCCI declared it no longer wished to play against Pakistan. Later, following mediation by US President Donald Trump, both countries agreed to a ceasefire. Although India eventually agreed to play Pakistan again, diplomatic ties between the neighbours remain frozen.