Dubai, UAE – The wide-ranging ramifications of an ongoing political standoff between India and Pakistan have led to a controversial conclusion of the archrivals’ cricket match on the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, the place India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that his squad opted in opposition to shaking fingers with their opponents as a mark of protest.
When Sunday’s Group A fixture between the South Asian archrivals was confirmed after lengthy deliberations from the Indian authorities, followers and specialists had hoped that the on-field motion may assist cool the off-field warmth.
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Yadav, although, crushed all expectations by saying his group’s thumping seven-wicket win within the T20 match was a “excellent reply” to Pakistan within the wake of the extreme four-day cross-border battle that introduced each nations to the brink of an all-out war in Could.
“Our [Indian] authorities and the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] have been aligned on the choice to play this match. We got here right here simply to play the match and gave them [Pakistan] an ideal reply,” Yadav informed the media shortly after the match.
What occurred on the finish of the India vs Pakistan match?
Yadav, who hit the winning runs for India, walked off the sector alongside his batting accomplice, Shivam Dube, with out approaching the Pakistani captain and group for the standard post-match handshakes.
Pakistan’s gamers trudged off in a gaggle and waited for the Indian squad and assist workers to return out and shake fingers, as is the norm on the finish of cricket matches.
Nonetheless, the Indian contingent solely shook fingers with one another earlier than strolling into their dressing room and shutting the door because the ready Pakistan gamers seemed on.
No handshakes between the groups. Salman Agha seemed to guide Pakistan over to the India dressing room, however nothing doing. All of them headed straight in #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/0BbJtYdkAf
— Paul Radley (@PaulRadley) September 14, 2025
Why did Indian group refuse to shake fingers with Pakistani gamers?
The Indian captain was requested to make clear his group’s actions and whether or not they have been in contradiction with the spirit of the game.
“A number of issues in life are above sportsman’s spirit,” the 35-year-old swiftly responded.
“We stand with all of the victims of the Pahalgam terror assault and with their households, and dedicate this win to our courageous armed forces who took half in Operation Sindoor.”
Yadav was referring to the Indian armed forces’ a number of missile assaults on six areas inside Pakistan.
India mentioned the missiles have been in response to the April 22 assault on vacationers in Indian-administered Kashmir in Pahalgam, wherein 26 males have been killed. An armed group known as The Resistance Entrance (TRF), which calls for independence for Kashmir, claimed accountability for the assault, however India had alleged Pakistani involvement.
Two days later, Pakistan responded to the missile strikes by attacking navy installations throughout its frontier with India and Indian-administered Kashmir, hanging not less than 4 services.
The battle ended 4 days later, because of an internationally-brokered ceasefire.
Whereas the change of aerial fireplace got here to a halt, the diplomatic ties between the neighbours remained suspended, and the political stress spilled over into cricket when the fixture between India and Pakistan was introduced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Did India break any guidelines by not shaking fingers?
Because of this, the match was performed below a extremely charged political local weather, and when each captains didn’t indulge within the customary handshake on the pre-match toss, the main target swiftly shifted to the interactions between the groups.
Nonetheless, Al Jazeera has discovered that the match referee, Andy Pycroft, had requested Yadav and his counterpart, Agha, to skip the pre-toss ritual.
“The match referee requested each captains to not shake fingers on the toss,” an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), requesting anonymity, informed Al Jazeera after the match.
Match officers additionally granted India permission to skip the post-match handshakes with Pakistan, however didn’t inform Agha or his group, based on the supply.
This resulted in an awkward-looking post-match situation, the place the Pakistani gamers adopted Yadav off the pitch and waited for the Indians to emerge, solely to observe them shut the dressing room door.
How did Pakistan reply?
Pakistan’s supervisor Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a protest in opposition to the Indian cricket group’s actions with Pycroft, who’s an Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) accredited match referee.
“The umpires had allowed the Indians to stroll off the sector with out shaking fingers for which the match referee apologised after the protest of our group supervisor,” the official mentioned.
Moreover, Pakistan captain Agha didn’t communicate on the post-match captain’s chat with the host broadcaster in a mark of protest.
Mike Hesson, Pakistan’s head coach, confirmed that Agha’s refusal to indicate up for the speak and the media briefing was a “follow-on impact” of the Indian group’s actions.
“We have been able to shake fingers on the finish of the sport, however our opposition didn’t try this,” Hesson mentioned.
“We type of went over there to shake fingers, and so they had already gone into the altering room.”
Why are handshakes necessary in cricket, and what’s the protocol?
As per the norm in cricket, the 2 on-field gamers of the group batting second shake fingers with the fielding group and the umpires earlier than strolling off.
And in what’s now a typical observe in all worldwide cricket matches, the batting group then enters the bottom to shake fingers with their opponents.
It gives each side to finish the match on a pleasant observe and change phrases of encouragement.
In the identical method, each groups’ captains shake fingers earlier than the toss, which takes place half-hour earlier than the beginning of play.
The toss is carried out by the match referee on the pitch and normally broadcast dwell.
Each captains and the match referee may take pleasure in a pre-match chat concerning group lineups or some other issues of mutual curiosity for each groups.
The match referee may meet a captain, head coach or supervisor of both group earlier than the match.
What have the event officers mentioned concerning the incident?
The transfer was lamented by the ACC chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who can be the chairman of the PCB.
“Totally disappointing to witness the shortage of sportsmanship immediately,” Naqvi mentioned in a put up on X.
“Dragging politics into the sport goes in opposition to the very spirit of sports activities.”
Totally disappointing to witness the shortage of sportsmanship immediately. Dragging politics into the sport goes in opposition to the very spirit of sports activities. Lets hope future victories are celebrated by all groups with grace
— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) September 14, 2025
Al Jazeera has reached out to the ACC for a touch upon the revelation that each captains have been requested to not shake fingers on the toss.
The ACC has not but responded to the request.
Pakistan and India are prone to meet once more within the Asia Cup if each groups qualify for the Tremendous 4 stage.
India have all however certified after two wins in two video games, whereas Pakistan face the UAE in a must-win fixture on Wednesday.
Ought to each groups win their respective video games, their Tremendous Fours match will happen on Sunday in Dubai.
