How India decided on no-handshake policy right before Pakistan encounter at Asia Cup

How India decided on no-handshake policy right before Pakistan encounter at Asia Cup (X/BCCI)

A few days ago, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav found himself at the centre of criticism for shaking hands with Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. Even before the tournament began, calls to boycott the match against Pakistan were loud enough to explain why Surya was criticised for shaking hands with Pakistani nationals.

This time, the build-up to the India-Pakistan game was tough for the reporters on the ground, the followers, and everyone involved, as protests were ongoing on social media and in multiple locations calling for the game to be called off. Nevertheless, the game went ahead as scheduled. As many had hoped, India secured a comfortable victory, handing Pakistan an embarrassing defeat. However, what followed post-match has been the talk of the town.

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As soon as Surya hit the winning runs, he and his batting partner at the crease, Shivam Dube, began walking back towards the dressing room. Not a single member of the Indian team came forward to shake hands with the Pakistani players, even though they were standing outside their dressing room.

During the post-match presentation, Surya spoke about the tragic incident in Pahalgam and paid tribute to the Armed Forces. “Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in the Pahalgam attack. We stand in solidarity with them and dedicate this victory to the Armed Forces,” he said.

Surya clarified that India’s no-handshake policy was a result of the aligned stance taken by the government, BCCI and the team.

“Our government and BCCI, we were aligned today. Rest, we took a call. We came here just to play the game. That is the end. We gave a proper reply,” he said in the post-match press conference.

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A cut-throat reply from Surya, and he had no hesitation in naming the bodies involved in India’s post-match actions. On many occasions in the past, the BCCI has admitted that the cricketing body seeks advice from the Government of India when matters relate to Pakistan. It is likely that some advisory was given by the government to the BCCI, which was passed on to the team.

From the moment Surya stepped out for the toss to the final moments of the match, there was a complete absence of communication or gestures between the players. This silence was not incidental but stemmed from a deliberate decision taken ahead of the game during a short meeting involving senior leadership. The team complied with the directive without resistance.

It is apparent that this move was initiated at the highest levels of the BCCI and the Indian government. While handshakes are not a formal requirement in cricket, they are widely recognised as a post-match ritual. By choosing to forgo this tradition, the Men in Blue made a clear statement that their approach towards matches against their arch-rivals is no longer rooted in sporting niceties. Instead, it is a stance shaped by national and moral considerations, supported by everyone involved.