U-19 World Cup: Bangladesh, India captains avoid handshakes at toss
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has maintained its decision not to send the national team to India for the tournament in February
Diplomatic tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi appeared to spill onto the cricket field on Saturday as the captains of the Bangladesh and India Under-19 teams avoided shaking hands during the toss at the ICC U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe.
In a scene reminiscent of recent India–Pakistan encounters, Bangladesh acting captain Jawad Abrar and India captain Ayush Mhatre visibly avoided each other at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
It remains unclear which team initiated the break from protocol, as the customary pre-toss handshake was skipped before Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field.
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The incident echoes India's stance during the Asia Cup in September, when captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that his team would not shake hands with Pakistani players due to ongoing military conflicts.
The apparent breakdown in on-field courtesies comes amid what officials have described as "cold relations" between Bangladesh and India, alongside a deepening standoff over the upcoming senior Men's T20 World Cup.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has maintained its decision not to send the national team to India for the tournament in February, citing serious security concerns.
Tensions have further escalated following reports that Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League due to security threats, a concern reportedly reflected in the ICC's internal threat assessment report.
