Asia Cup chief hammers Suryakumar Yadav's India for not shaking hands with Pakistan: ‘Dragging politics into sports’

"Utterly disappointed by the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Let's hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace," Naqvi wrote.

India, led by stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav, secured a dominant seven-wicket victory over Pakistan after chasing down a modest 128-run target in just 15.5 overs. The mood around the fixture had been tense due to the recent terror attack in India's Pahalgam region, where 26 tourists were killed in an attack attributed to Pakistan-based terrorists.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart, Salman Ali Agha, after the coin toss. Things spiralled after the Indian team decided not to come out to share post-match handshakes and pleasantries with their opponents, even as the Pakistan cricketers kept waiting outside their dressing room.

In the post-match press conference, Suryakumar addressed the Indian team's refusal to engage in traditional gestures of sportsmanship such as handshakes. "I feel a few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit," he said. "We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. We stand with their families also and express our solidarity. As I said, we dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor."

The decision not to shake hands was seen as a mark of protest and solidarity with the victims and Indian security personnel. Suryakumar reiterated that the emotional toll of the attack weighed heavily on the team and influenced their actions during the match.

It is important to mention that Suryakumar Yadav drew flak on social media for shaking hands with Salman Agha and Mohsin Naqvi in the pre-tournament all-captains' press conference held in Dubai to unveil the Asia Cup 2025 Trophy.

Despite the political undertones, India delivered a clinical performance on the field. Kuldeep Yadav dismantled Pakistan’s batting line-up with his precise left-arm wrist spin, earning him the Player of the Match award. Suryakumar anchored the chase with a calm and composed 47 not out from 37 deliveries.

While the Indian camp was united in its sentiment, Pakistan’s reaction was also strong. Team captain Salman Ali Agha was notably absent from the post-match presentation, fuelling further speculation about the emotional impact of the loss and the controversy surrounding the handshake snub.

Public sentiment in India leading up to the match had been sharply divided. Several groups had called for India to boycott the fixture altogether, citing the Pahalgam attack as reason enough to sever cricketing ties. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to proceed with the game, reportedly after high-level discussions with security and government agencies.

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