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Will Suryakumar And Salman Agha Finally Shake Hands In India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Match?

Rajgeeta Yadav

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 [Source: AFP]India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 [Source: AFP]

India and Pakistan are set to lock horns again today in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium. The spotlight isn’t only on cricket this time, but also on whether Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha will exchange a handshake, something that was missing in their fiery clash on Sunday, September 14.

That earlier game, also played in Dubai and won by India, ended in controversy when the Indian team chose not to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. Instead, they simply walked off to the dressing room, leaving the Pakistan players waiting on the field. 

PCB Lodges Protest To ICC After Handshake Row

The incident quickly became a major talking point, with Pakistan lodging a protest to the ICC (International Cricket Council), accusing India of going against the “spirit of cricket.”

The tension didn’t come out of nowhere. Just days before that match, India and Pakistan were involved in a brief military conflict triggered by a deadly attack in Kashmir. The political fallout spilled into cricket, adding fuel to the already intense rivalry between the two nations.

While the ICC clarified that the handshake confusion was a matter of “miscommunication,” Pakistan wasn’t satisfied. They even demanded the removal of the match referee, Andy Pycroft, though eventually agreed to let him continue. 

Interestingly, the former Zimbabwe player will again be the referee for today’s high-stakes game in Dubai.

Suryakumar Yadav Reacts To Handling IND vs PAK Noise

Ahead of the clash, India captain Suryakumar Yadav tried to play down the drama. “It will be a good contest between bat and ball,” he said, urging his players to “shut the noise” and focus on the match. 

"Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep. I think that's the best. It's easy to say, but sometimes it is difficult because you meet a lot of friends, you go out for dinner, and you have a lot of players also around who like to see all these things, so it's very difficult," said Suryakumar.

Today’s game will be the second India-Pakistan showdown in just eight days, with the winner moving closer to a spot in the Asia Cup final on September 28. However, multiple reports state that India might stick to its no-handshake policy.