IND vs PAK: India Refused Handshakes Again After Beating Pakistan in Asia Cup Super Fours
India players again skip handshakes with Pakistan after Super Fours win in Asia Cup, reigniting controversy that earlier saw PCB threaten boycott.
The handshake controversy deepened on Sunday as Indian players once again avoided customary post-match greetings with Pakistan following their six-wicket win in the Asia Cup Super Fours clash in Dubai.
When India sealed victory, batters Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma walked off without exchanging handshakes with the Pakistani side. Earlier in the evening, at the toss, skipper Suryakumar Yadav also refrained from shaking hands with counterpart Salman Ali Agha.
This was the second such instance in the tournament. During the group stage, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube had also skipped handshakes after India’s seven-wicket win.
The ongoing standoff comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s earlier boycott threat. The PCB had demanded action against match referee Andy Pycroft, claiming he instructed captains to avoid handshakes after the Pahalgam terror attack. Although the ICC rejected PCB’s complaints, Pakistan said they only continued in the tournament after Pycroft “apologised” – a claim the ICC has denied.
With the Super Fours clash now also overshadowed, the controversy shows no signs of cooling down.
