Dubai: There was plenty of camaraderie among the Indian players in the dugout, but no room for the customary handshake with Pakistan after India secured a commanding six-wicket victory under captain Suryakumar Yadav in their Super Fours clash at the ongoing Asia Cup on Sunday.
This marked the second instance in the tournament where both sides avoided the traditional post-match handshake. After Hardik Pandya and Tilak Verma returned to the dugout, the Indian team management and players greeted them, leading to some discussion.
The tone of the contest was set even before the match, as Suryakumar and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha again refrained from the customary handshake at the toss. After winning the toss, Suryakumar explained his decision to field first and outlined a couple of team changes before joining his side—again bypassing the handshake. This repeated the pattern seen during their group-stage encounter, which India won by seven wickets, when neither captain initiated the traditional pre-toss gesture.
Following the match, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube returned to the dressing room while Pakistan awaited a handshake. India’s stance was reportedly influenced by heightened tensions between the two nations following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 lives and was carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
The handshake row escalated off the field, with Pakistan blaming match referee Andy Pycroft. The drama carried onto the Super Fours clash itself, evoking memories of the 1996 Aamer Sohail–Venkatesh Prasad incident at the Dubai International Stadium. Early on, Gill challenged Shaheen Afridi, who simply turned away.
In the third over, Gill advanced down the track, drove to extra-cover for a four, and gestured toward Shaheen to mark the shot. Tensions rose further on the final ball of the fifth over, when Gill unleashed a powerful short-arm jab for another four. Following the over, Abhishek and Rauf engaged in a heated exchange, prompting umpire Gazi Sohel to intervene.
Fueled by the on-field altercations, India dominated the remainder of the match, ruthlessly targeting Pakistan’s bowlers and claiming a six-wicket win, extending their winning streak to four in the tournament.
