Will India face consequences for handshake 'boycott' against Pakistan? Here's what the rules say

IND vs PAK, Asia Cup 2025: Will India captain and team get fined for not shaking hands with Pakistan players? Here's what we know

In their Asia Cup 2025 clash on Sunday, India beat Pakistan by seven wickets, but the high-stakes match was overshadowed by controversy. Right from the toss, India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha avoided shaking hands, setting a tense tone for the game.

The unease continued after the match ended. Instead of taking part in the customary post-match handshake, Suryakumar Yadav and fellow Indian batter Shivam Dube immediately returned to the dressing room. No other Indian players came out either, leaving the Pakistani cricketers waiting on the field.

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With political tensions between India and Pakistan already running high following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian team’s actions were widely seen as a silent act of protest—or even a symbolic “boycott.”

The entire incident infuriated the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which filed a formal protest with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Additionally, they demanded that match referee Andy Pycroft be removed as he had instructed Agha to refrain from shaking hands with Suryakumar at the toss.

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The question of whether India can be punished for this behavior emerges amid the developing dispute.

The T20I Playing Conditions include the following from the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Preamble, Spirit of Cricket: “Congratulate the opposition on their success, and enjoy those of your own team. Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result.” Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct lists “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game” as a Level 1 offence.

The ICC Preamble—Spirit of Cricket—may have been broken by Suryakumar's refusal to shake hands, even if the ICC has not made any public announcements. The captain may then be subject to fines from the regulatory body. Nonetheless, in these types of situations, the fines are typically not extremely high.