Indian team gives high-fives to Pakistan players as 'no handshake' policy takes a backseat in Sultan of Johor Cup hockey

New Delhi: While there was a possibility of another 'handshake snub' being witnessed in the ongoing India vs Pakistan hockey match in Sultan of Johor Cup but the 'no handshake' policy took a back seat as high-fives were exchanged between players from both the teams.

It was earlier reported that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had warned its players of a possible 'handshake snub', mirroring he recent controversy in men's Asia Cup which was followed in the women's World Cup match as well but the opposite happened in the hockey game.

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The players were also advised to just ignore any kind of gestures and move on. In addition, they were also been told to avoid any emotional tussles or signs during the game. But before the start of the play, players from both the teams were quite cordial exchanging high-fives with smiles on their faces.

The Indian cricket team had refused to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts during all three of their matches last month but it seems that after much deliberation, the policy was let go off. India are unbeaten so far after two matches, while Pakistan have had a mix bag of results with one win and as many defeats. Both the teams would be aiming for a win in Tuesday's match which is of pivotal importance for them.

Both the teams would be aiming for a win in Tuesday's match which is of pivotal importance for them. With India beating Great Britain (3-2) and New Zealand (4-2) in the previous two matches of the competition, the side would be high on confidence and would like to dominate Pakistan which has come into the game after suffering a loss.

Indian head coach and legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh highlighted the importance of the tournament in developing players for the senior team.

'The Sultan of Johor Cup has always been a special tournament for us - it's where many of our current senior players first made their mark. It provides young players with the perfect stage to test themselves against the best in the world and understand what it takes to perform consistently at the international level,' said Sreejesh.