TimesofIndia.com in Dubai: The handshake row between India and Pakistan has taken yet another fiery turn, with former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif urging his country’s cricket board to lodge an official complaint. In an explosive reaction, Latif said India’s stance at the Asia Cup match in Dubai left “a wrong impression” and brought politics onto the field. “Wars have happened before too, but we have always shaken hands. These things will remain a blot for a lifetime,” Latif told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview from Karachi.
“In his interviews, Sunil Gavaskar talks about Javed Miandad, but he never says they didn’t shake hands. We represent our countries, but I personally think what happened was not right.” India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup on Sunday with 25 balls remaining. The match proceeded despite calls for a boycott after 26 Indian tourists were killed in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, with India later conducting Operation Sindoor against terrorist bases across the border. The tension was evident from the start when captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha avoided the traditional handshake during the toss, submitting their team sheets to match referee Andy Pycroft without making eye contact. After sealing victory with a six, Suryakumar immediately turned toward the dugout, ignoring the Pakistani players who had lined up for handshakes. Latif, the former Pakistan captain, further intensified his criticism by linking the incident to the recent Pahalgam terror attack. “Your reservations in terms of war or the Pahalgam attack are legitimate. But when you come to the ground, play the sport the right way. If Pakistan is involved in the Pahalgam attack, then catch those who are responsible. ‘Jung hi kar lete, woh bhi nahi ki puri tarah se’ (India should have fought the war, but they didn’t even do that properly). India should have fought the war, they should not have backed out,” he said. The former wicketkeeper-batter didn’t hold back in accusing India of hiding behind politics. “To hide their own mistakes, a lot of things are being done politically. What happened on the ground was not correct,” he said, adding that he personally “did not like it” and that the Indian team “left a wrong impression.” Meanwhile, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar echoed the sentiments and asked the Indian cricket team to show grace while also praising their performance. “Match ko political na banao (Don’t bring politics into sports),” he said on PTV Sports. “Hats off to India, well done. We are talking good things about you, but we can say things also. Show your grace, do the handshakes. Fights happen in every house, but that doesn’t mean you take it to the next level,” Akhtar said in a strong message. With India’s seven-wicket win already overshadowed by “handshake-gate,” the fallout may well spill over if the two sides meet again in the Super Four stage.
