Asia Cup 2025: Team India ignores Pakistan in post match handshake

Team India delivered more than just a cricketing statement in the recently concluded encounter against Pakistan in Dubai. The Men in Blue chipped in with a commanding seven-wicket victory over their rivals in the Asia Cup 2025. But it was the post-match scenes that stole the headlines.

Team India walked off the field without offering the customary handshake for the first time. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and his men chose silence and action over ceremony, citing solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Team India refuses post-match handshake

As Suryakumar finished the chase with a towering six, he turned his back on tradition. Instead of walking toward the Pakistani players for pleasantries, he went straight to the dressing room. His teammates followed.

The Pakistani squad, expecting the usual courtesy, walked toward the Indian side. Instead, they were met with closed doors, literally. The dressing room had been shut, sending a message that was louder than any handshake could convey.

This was not an impulsive act. The boycott was rooted in the memory of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, where 26 innocent tourists were brutally murdered after being separated on religious lines. The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, left the country shaken. India’s military response – Operation Sindoor, struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in early May.

For Team India, this was not about sportsmanship, but about respect. Respect for the victims. Respect for the armed forces. And respect for a nation’s grief.

Team India captain Suryakumar stands firm

Suryakumar Yadav did not mince words in the post-match press conference. He declared: “We took a team call. We had come only to play. We had given them a reply. Some things are beyond sportsmanship. We dedicate this victory to our armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor and stand with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.”

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has his say

Pakistan’s camp, however, was far from silent. Captain Salman Ali Agha boycotted the presentation ceremony entirely, a protest in itself. Head coach Mike Hesson expressed visible disappointment, saying:

“We wanted to shake hands but were disappointed that the opposition didn’t do that. We went over there and they were already gone to the changing room.”

Pakistan’s team manager, Naveed Akram Cheema, went further by filing an official complaint with match referee Andy Pycroft. He accused India of acting “against the spirit of sports.” The Pakistan Cricket Board also condemned the act, terming it “unsportsmanlike.”

Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who doubles as PCB chairman, took to social media to criticize India: “Utterly disappointed by the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports.”

ALSO READ: Ross Taylor Shocks Cricket World; Comes Out of Retirement to Play for New Country in T20 World Cup Qualifiers

Ironically, the game itself was one-sided and clinical. Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) spun a web around Pakistan, restricting them to 127/9. India’s batting then turned it into a procession. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 31 off 13 balls set the tone, while Suryakumar’s calm unbeaten 47 sealed the deal with 25 balls remaining.

But none of these performances grabbed as many headlines as the missing handshake. This moment will be remembered not for the runs or wickets, but for the message. Indian cricketers openly reflected the nation’s political and emotional reality on the field for the first time. We all know that cricket between India and Pakistan has always carried the weight of history and rivalry. But this incident pushed it into uncharted territory.

Should sports remain insulated from politics? Opinions will differ. The “handshake gate” has now become the defining image of the Asia Cup 2025 clash. It is a reminder that cricket, as much as it entertains, can also be a stage where nations speak without words.