The handshake controversy between India and Pakistan refused to die down on Sunday, with Indian players once again walking past their opponents without doing the customary gesture at the Asia Cup Super Four clash in Dubai. The incident mirrored what unfolded in the group-stage meeting a week earlier, when India captain Suryakumar Yadav had avoided shaking hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Agha at the toss.That moment had sparked heated discussion among fans and media, with questions raised about whether the tension would spill over into their next encounter. At the toss this time, Suryakumar ignored Agha once again, heading directly to commentator Ravi Shastri before greeting match referee Andy Pycroft. The Indian captain later said, “We are going to bowl first. It is a good pitch. Some dew came during our practice session last night. I am really looking forward to this game. Jasprit Bumrah comes back, Varun Chakaravarthy also comes back in for Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh.” The absence of a handshake at the end of the game drew even more attention. After completing the chase, India batters Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya turned towards their dressing room and headed straight to the team camp, skipping the traditional handshake with the Pakistan players.To make things even more tense, Indian players headed out of the dressing room after the win, started to walk towards the Pakistani players, only to shake hands with the umpires and match officials and turn back.India, thanks to an aggressive chase, won the game in style, with Tilak Varma hitting the winning four, meaning India won by six wickets and with 7 balls to spare. The 172-run target set by Pakistan proved to be too less to avoid a second defeat to the defending Asia Cup champions. Ahead of the clash, Suryakumar had already faced questions about the issue during a press conference, though he deflected them. When asked indirectly about whether India’s “no-handshake” stance would continue, he replied: “What other things are you talking about? You are talking about our performance with the ball? It is a good contest between bat and ball. The whole stadium is packed to the rafters. The best thing is to put your best foot forward and do the best for your country.”
Poll
Should the Indian players have shaken hands with their Pakistani counterparts after the match?
The episode made sure that the spotlight stayed on the off-field tensions, even as the cricket itself provided its own drama. The handshake row has now become one of the biggest talking points of the Asia Cup 2025, and shows no signs of fading.
