It is said that whenever India and Pakistan meet in cricket, the world is their audience, watching with bated breath. These competitions are quite beyond the runs scored or wickets taken—they carry the layers of history, politics, and emotions. The recent Asia Cup 2025 meeting in Dubai was also the same. India managed to beat their arch-rivals by a comfortable 7 wickets, but what made the biggest headlines was not the victory. It was the absence of a gesture usually considered the easiest or the most natural thing in cricket—the post-match handshake.This information has been published by Untoldnow.
Contents
1- What Happened on the Field?
The match had barely started when things seemed very strange. At the coin toss, there was no physical contact in the form of a handshake or even a verbal exchange between the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistani skipper Salman Ali Agha. The hassle did not stop there.
After the Indian players had chased down the total set by Pakistan, they returned to their dressing room instead of going hand in hand with the opposition as per cricketing tradition. Two teams, one inside, another outside, were the scene where the doors were closed behind the Indians while the Pakistan players and officials were still on the ground. The picture of the teams that are separated not only because of the difference in location but also because of the minimal distance capturing the symbolic divide in stark detail.
2- Why Did India Refuse the Handshake?
Shortly after the incident, Suryakumar Yadav spoke up and acquainted the team decision with the media. He went on to say that it was a team decision to show solidarity with the families of the Pahalgam terror victims who lost their lives earlier this year in the incident. Yadav said, “Some things in life are far beyond sportsmanship.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also gave their backing to the team stating that, while they were eager to take part in the Asia Cup for cricketing reasons, a symbolic protest was necessary. For India, the decision of not shaking hands was not about letting down the game of cricket but about showing solidarity and expressing the hurt.
3- Pakistan’s Reaction
Conversely, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was very far from happy with the event. An official complaint was filed with the Asian Cricket Council accusing the Indians of “unsportsmanlike” conduct and doing “against the spirit of cricket” by taking “such an action”.
Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha also acting out by not attending the post-match presentation ceremony made a point. Head coach Mike Hesson said he was disappointed and that the team was prepared to go on with the tradition but was surprised by the abrupt refusal from India. Only if politics intrude in the game of sports can this incident be seen as Pakistani friends viewed it, as mixing politics with sports and disrespecting the honorable code of conduct respected by the professionals.
4- Fans and Media Divide
The event rapidly polarized opinions as reflected in social media and television discussions.
The voices of Indians mostly stood behind the action, labeling it a neat, but strong way to display national unity following the disaster. For most supporters, the matter was not about disrespecting opponents but recognizing/respecting their own people.
The opponents from Pakistan pointed among other reasons to the fact that cricket very often has been a bridge between the two countries when diplomacy failed, and criticized the event as an act of disrespect.
Besides, global media hoped to characterize the move differently. Some media outlets called it a bold and symbolic action, while others were apprehensive that it could set a precedent of bringing geopolitical tensions straight into sports arenas.
5- The Spirit of Cricket Debate
One very controversial question was whether India’s refusal was a violation of the “spirit of cricket”.
The spirit of cricket—though very much present in the ICC guidelines—suggests respect, fair play, and goodwill as leading characteristics. Handshakes form part of this tradition. India by not shaking hands technically broke from the historical norms. However, proponents argue that the heart of sportsmanship is empathy and moral courage and that solidarity with terror victims is a higher form of respect.
This conflict between symbolic protest and traditional etiquette is the center of the controversy , complexity.
6- Bigger Questions Raised
Should politics and sports be kept separate?
Sports purists are of the opinion cricket must remain unaffected by political or military events. On the other hand, the reality of India-Pakistan relations tells a different story. The influence of politics on cricket between these two countries has always been there starting from canceled tours to matches held at neutral venues.
7- Will this set a precedent?
Will other teams follow if one refuses to observe the customary courtesies? Could such a development lead to the normalization of cold gestures making cricket matches less about unity but rather about statements?
8- Similar Incidents in History
These are not isolated cases of cricket matches where gestures symbolic of certain issues were made. South Africa was under an international boycott during the apartheid era. Players from other sports have also refused to shake hands on political grounds (football, tennis, etc.).
Moreover, even in cricket, a few instances of handshakes being avoided during heated bilateral series have been reported. It’s just that in the case of India vs Pakistan—where feelings are already high—the absence of a handshake gets an amplified meaning.
Conclusion
The “no handshake” incident in the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup encounter was not simply a departure from the usual. It was a statement—powerful for some, controversial for others. With every run, every wicket, every gesture are subject to magnification under the lens of history and politics. This blog is published by untoldnow. It is hard to say from what perspective the refusal of the Indian side will be seen—whether as a show of justified solidarity or as provocation. Still, it is beyond doubt that the Asia Cup 2025 match will now be remembered not only for India’s 7-wicket win but also for the handshake that never happened.It is said that whenever India and Pakistan meet in cricket, the world is their audience, watching with bated breath. These competitions are quite beyond the runs scored or wickets taken—they carry the layers of history, politics, and emotions. The recent Asia Cup 2025 meeting in Dubai was also the same. India managed to beat their arch-rivals by a comfortable 7 wickets, but what made the biggest headlines was not the victory. It was the absence of a gesture usually considered the easiest or the most natural thing in cricket—the post-match handshake.This information has been published by Untoldnow.
