India thrash Pakistan to uphold nation’s pride, no handshakes as Pakistan leave dejected

Team India snub Pakistan handshakes: India has registered a resounding 7-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. Following the match, Suryakumar Yadav and the team sent a strong message to the world by refusing to shake hands with the Pakistani players.

Team India Refuse Handshakes: The result of the Asia Cup 2025 group stage match, eagerly awaited by cricket fans worldwide, is in. Team India once again decisively defeated their arch-rivals, Pakistan. The atmosphere remained tense not only during the high-voltage encounter in Dubai on Sunday night, but also afterwards. Following their victory, no Indian player shook hands with their Pakistani counterparts, leaving the Pakistan team dejected as they returned to the pavilion. In a further display of displeasure, Salman Agha did not even attend the post-match presentation interview.

No Handshakes

No handshakes were exchanged before or after India's seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup, as tensions between the two nations were evident on the Dubai pitch. Suryakumar Yadav stated that India, in consultation with the BCCI and the Indian government, had decided beforehand not to shake hands with the opposing team. This move left Pakistan deeply disappointed. Pakistani coach Mike Hesson commented that his team had waited for handshakes after the match, only to discover they had been ignored by India.

PCB Registers Protest

Hours after the match concluded, the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) issued a statement saying that Pakistan's team manager had lodged a formal protest against India's refusal to shake hands during the toss. It is noteworthy that Pakistan's captain, Salman Agha, also did not participate in post-match television interviews due to the lack of handshakes.

Surya Says: We're Here Only to Play

In a post-match press conference, Suryakumar clarified that the decision to not shake hands was a collective one, involving the Indian government, the BCCI, and the team. He stated, "We were here only to play the match, and we have given a fitting response." When asked whether refusing handshakes was against the spirit of the game, Surya responded that some things in life are more important than sportsmanship. He reiterated his statement from the presentation, expressing solidarity with the victims and families affected by the Pahalgam terror attacks.

This encounter marked the first meeting between India and Pakistan since the cross-border animosity following the April Pahalgam terror attacks. Uncertainty surrounded the match for months, with calls from within India for its boycott. Despite this, Team India participated in the game.