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"It's never happened": Salman Agha slams 'no handshake' row ahead of Asia Cup 2025 final

Akshita Patel

Salman Agha addressing press conference [Source: @CallMeSheri1_/X.com]Salman Agha addressing press conference [Source: @CallMeSheri1_/X.com]

Ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final, Pakistan captain Salman Agha has criticised India for refusing handshakes in post-match tradition. Agha said that even when relations between the two rival countries were much worse, handshakes did take place in the past.

Pakistan have lost their last two meetings with India in this tournament, but Salman remains confident his players will rise to the challenge. He said that his team has saved their best performance for the last.

Salman Agha takes a firm stand on the ‘handshake’ controversy

During the pre-match press conference, Pakistan captain Salman Agha faced the media after a 2-week-long absence. He expressed disappointment over the lack of post-match handshakes between India and Pakistan during the tournament.

"I started playing cricket from 2007, at Under-16 level. I have never seen that there hasn't been a handshake between two teams. My Abbu [father] is a big cricket fan, and he went back 20 more years and said it's never happened that the two teams haven't shaken hands. Even I can't think of a time when it's not happened," Agha said.

Agha said that he has been playing since 2007. Never once did he see handshake snubs on the field and deemed the practice as ‘not good’ for the spirit of cricket.

"Even when India-Pakistan relations were worse, there was always a handshake. So, I don't think not having a handshake is good for cricket. It's their wish [captain photoshoot]. If they want to come, they can come; if they don't want to, let them not. We will follow our protocol. The rest is up to them. What else can we do?!" he added.

The skipper also stressed that Pakistan only needs to focus on executing their plans for the full 40 overs, and if they make fewer mistakes, they’ll win.

"There is always a lot of pressure on Pakistan and India when they play each other, and if we say that there is no pressure, then it is wrong. We have made more mistakes than them and that is why we have not won matches. If we make fewer mistakes than them, we will win. Inshallah, you will see us winning tomorrow. We know that if we play our best cricket and execute our plans for 40 overs, then we can beat any team."

Salman Agha refuses to tame down bowlers’ aggression

This Asia Cup 2025 has been filled with drama off the field, too. From Sahibzada Farhan’s gun celebration to Haris Rauf’s controversial gestures and even Suryakumar Yadav’s political comment, things have remained heated.

Salman Agha, however, defended his players’ right to express themselves, saying aggression is important in cricket, especially for fast bowlers.

"It rests with the individual, everyone has their own way. If someone wants to be aggressive on the ground, then why not? Because if you take away aggression from a fast bowler, then nothing is left. Every player knows how to deal with his emotions. As a captain, I give a free hand to any player on how to react on the ground, unless he is disrespecting someone or doing something disrespectful to the country."

He added that he won’t ask any of his players to tone down aggression, and everyone is allowed to conduct themselves the way they feel is right.