PCB breaks silence, lodges official complaint against India over handshake snub in Asia Cup

New Delhi: Team India's choice to avoid handshakes with Pakistan during their Asia Cup 2025 clash on Sunday has sparked widespread debate across the cricketing world. While many fans saw it as a sudden move, it was revealed that the decision had been communicated in advance to the match referee, Andy Pycroft. Pakistan's players even approached the Indian dressing room after the match to offer a friendly gesture but were turned away. The referee had also advised Pakistan captain Salaman Ali Agha to avoid initiating handshakes with Suryakumar Yadav or other Indian players.

The gesture by the Indian team immediately became the focal point of discussions. Team India opted to forego all customary handshakes with the Pakistan squad. This did not sit well with the Pakistani side with both Salman and his teammates expressing disappointment over the perceived snub.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now officially addressed the incident, describing India’s actions as "unsportsmanlike” and lodging a formal complaint. The PCB stated that during the toss match referee Andy Pycroft had informed Salman Ali Agha about India’s intentions and instructed him not to engage in handshakes.

In a statement, the PCB confirmed the protest, explaining that Salman Ali Agha also skipped the post-match presentation ceremony to underline his objection. The board said, "The match referee Andy Pycroft had asked captain Salman Ali Agha, at the time of the toss, not to shake hands with his Indian counterpart. The Pakistan team management has lodged a protest, calling the behaviour against the spirit of sports." The statement further clarified that the post-match snub was a deliberate protest against Team India's conduct, noting that the ceremony host was also Indian.

Even during the toss time, India and Pakistan's captains didn't shake hands and after the match concluded Indian team proceeded straight to the dressing room without acknowledging their opponents. The refusal to engage in the customary gestures of sportsmanship has already drawn attention from cricket followers globally and reignited discussions on sportsmanship versus national sentiment in high-pressure fixtures like this.

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Speaking after the game, India captain Suryakumar Yadav explained the reasoning behind the team's decision. He said the no-handshake gesture was a tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. He told the media, "We took a team call as we came here to only play. We gave a proper reply. Some things are ahead of sportsmanship. We stand with all victims of the Pahalgam attack and dedicate it to our armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor." Indian skipper emphasised that the team's focus was entirely on the game while being mindful of the sentiments surrounding recent events.

The incident is expected to keep the cricketing world talking, especially as India and Pakistan are set to meet again later in the tournament. With strong emotions involved one thing is certain that India-Pakistan cricket cannot be separated from the political context and the handshake controversy is likely to remain a major talking point in the days to come.