The drama revolving the India-Pakistan handshake controversy continues to evolve with the Indian cricket team expected to maintain their status quo of not shaking hands with their Pakistan counterparts.
According to media reports, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav will maintain India’s status quo and is unlikely to offer a handshake to Pakistan captain Salman Agha during the toss during the T20 World Cup group match in Colombo today. With the uncertainity looming large, only toss time will confirm whether India stick to their stance or not.
Tense Relations Extend to the Cricket Field
The Indian team had also declined to shake hands with Pakistan during last year’s Asia Cup, following heightened tensions after ‘Operation Sindoor’ last May. The strained relations between the two neighboring countries have only intensified since then, with cricket encounters reflecting the political chill. Pakistan had initially announced a boycott of the World Cup match against India in protest over Bangladesh’s exclusion but reversed the decision last week.
Past incidents keep the controversy alive
The handshake issue dominated conversations throughout last year’s Asia Cup, overshadowing the cricket on several occasions. Additionally, after India’s victory in the Asia Cup final, the team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, who took the trophy with him. The Indian side has yet to receive the trophy officially.
Suryakumar Yadav keeps suspense alive
When questioned about the handshake, India’s captain kept things ambiguous: “You will see in 24 hours. Eat well, sleep well, we will see tomorrow,” he remarked, neither confirming nor denying the gesture. Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha echoed similar uncertainty, stating, “We will see it tomorrow.”
Underlying issues affecting cricket diplomacy
During a meeting with ICC officials earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi had advocated for the return of handshakes between players and coaching staff as a gesture of sportsmanship. However, the ICC’s authority in this matter is limited, and it appears the traditional handshakes will remain absent. After weeks of tension and political maneuvering, Pakistan eventually agreed to participate in the February 15 fixture.
The MCC’s Spirit of Cricket guidelines encourage players to “respect opponents” but do not make handshakes compulsory. Therefore, when Indian players declined post-match handshakes with Pakistan following their Asia Cup victory last year, they were acting within the rules and were fully entitled to do so.
Criticism from Former Players
This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 15, 2026
Former India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar publicly criticized the no-handshake stance, calling it “silly” and unbefitting for a nation like India. On social media platform X, he stated, “This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all.”
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