India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai has been overshadowed by a dramatic controversy. After the match, Indian players not only refused to shake hands with the Pakistani team but also avoided greeting the match officials, heading straight into their dressing room and shutting the doors.
The unusual scenes played out right after captain Suryakumar Yadav finished the chase with a six. Instead of walking across to meet the opposition or officials, he shook hands only with batting partner Shivam Dube before leading his teammates off the field. Pakistan’s players and match referee Andy Pycroft were left standing in confusion.
The snub sparked anger in the Pakistani camp. Captain Salman Ali Agha boycotted the post-match ceremony in protest. Head coach Mike Hesson expressed his disappointment: “We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game. We are disappointed that the opposition did not do that. We went over there and they were already gone to the changing room. That was obviously a disappointing way to finish the match.”
Visibly upset, Hesson even tried to approach India’s dressing room but found the doors bolted. He later had a tense conversation with the match referee.
The Pakistan Cricket Board issued a sharp statement accusing India of going “against the spirit of sportsmanship.” It added that this was the reason their captain skipped the presentation ceremony.
India, however, defended the decision. At the press conference, captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was deliberate. “Some things in life are ahead of sportsmanship. The team was aligned with the government in not shaking hands with the Pakistan team. We stand with the victims and families of the Pahalgam terror attack and dedicate today’s win to the armed forces.”
The match came just months after a deadly military conflict and the Pahalgam attack in April, which India blamed on Pakistan. The political tension spilled directly into cricket, turning what should have been a sporting handshake into a full-blown diplomatic statement.
