The India–Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Group A clash at the Dubai International Stadium ended on a tense note on Sunday, as the Indian team refused to engage in the customary post-match handshake with their Pakistani counterparts.
India, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, chased down Pakistan’s total of 128 with seven wickets and 25 balls to spare. But instead of staying back for the usual sportsmanlike gesture, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube immediately returned to the dressing room after hitting the winning runs.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and coach Mike Hesson reportedly approached the Indian dressing room to initiate handshakes, but no Indian player came out.
“We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game. We were disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that,” Hesson told reporters at the post-match press conference. “We went over there to shake hands, and they’d already gone into the changing room. That was a disappointing way for the match to finish.”
The handshake snub followed a complete lack of interaction between players during the game — including no handshake at the toss. The incident has stirred controversy given the heightened emotions around the fixture, with many in India earlier calling for a boycott of matches against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav later dedicated the victory to the Indian Armed Forces and the families of the Pahalgam attack victims, saying his team stood “in solidarity” with them.
Adding to the tension, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation ceremony. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who received an award on behalf of the team, appeared visibly upset and left the stage quickly.
With this win, India is virtually through to the Super 4 stage and will next face Oman on September 19, while Pakistan will meet the UAE on September 17.
