The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reacted to the controversy over India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan players after their Asia Cup 2025 clash. The incident has drawn mixed reactions across the cricketing world, with many debating whether the decision from Team India was appropriate.
Suryakumar Yadav sealed the win with a six in Dubai on Sunday, September 14. He and Shivam Dube went back to the dressing room, skipping the handshakes. The Pakistan players waited on the field but left after India stayed inside. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha later missed the post-match presentation.
Pakistan Cricket Board Files Complaint After India’s Players Refuse to Shake Hands
According to PTI, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) after India’s players chose not to shake hands.
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Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir, along with senior members of the squad, held discussions before the match and decided to avoid handshakes altogether. Gambhir reportedly played a key role in the move.
Suryakumar Yadav dedicated India’s victory to the armed forces and to those who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack. At the post-match press conference, he defended the team’s choice, stating that a few things in life are more important than sportsmanship.
BCCI Breaks Silence on Refusing to Shake Hands with Pakistan
A senior BCCI official stated that there is no rule requiring players to shake hands with the opposition after a match. The official added that the Indian team chose not to extend the courtesy in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year.
“Look, if you read the rule book, there is no specification about shaking hands with the opposition. It is a goodwill gesture and a sort of convention, not law, that is followed globally across the sporting spectrum,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.
“If there is no law, then the Indian cricket team isn’t bound to shake hands with an opposition with whom there is a history of a strained relationship,” the official added.
India Likely to Continue Avoiding Handshakes With Pakistan
India are likely to continue avoiding handshakes with Pakistan in any future encounters during the Asia Cup. The Men in Blue are expected to face Pakistan in the Super Four clash next Sunday. There is also a possibility of the two teams meeting again in the final on September 28 if they qualify.
Talking about the match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first, but struggled against disciplined Indian bowling. They managed to score just 127/9 in 20 overs, with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah maintaining pressure throughout the innings by picking up key wickets.
Chasing 128, Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start with 30 off 13 balls, while Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 47 runs off 37 balls. The Men in Blue completed the chase in 15.5 overs. Notably, it was India’s 11th win over Pakistan in 20 Asia Cup matches across ODI and T20I formats.
Also read: “Not shaking hands, shows your true colours”- Rashid Latif curses India post Pakistan humiliation
