India to persist with no handshake policy in potential IND vs PAK Super 4 clash at Asia Cup

Team India will reportedly continue to ignore handshakes with the Pakistan team should the two sides meet again in Asia Cup 2025

India cricket team will reportedly continue to pursue the no handshake policy with Pakistan, should the two teams meet in the Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2025. In a symbolic protest against the Pahalgam terror attack, Suryakumar Yadav and co. ditched convention to walk off the field directly instead of shaking hands with the opposition after the IND vs PAK tie on Sunday. As per reports, India will not shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts, both in the Super 4 stage and in the final, if their opponent is Pakistan.

India to remain firm on stance against Pakistan at Asia Cup

As per The Economic Times, the decision to not shake hands with the Pakistan players was taken after Team India got a go-ahead from the BCCI. The board and the team management reportedly were involved in a discussion over the demand from a section of fans and political parties to boycott the game against Pakistan. While they did not do so, a BCCI official told news agency PTI that the team was not bound by any rules to shake hands with the Pakistan team.

“Look, if you read the rule book, there is no specification about shaking hands with the opposition. It is a goodwill gesture and a sort of convention not law that is followed globally across the sporting spectrum. If there is no law, then the Indian cricket team is not bound to shake hands with an opposition with whom there is a history of strained relationship,” the BCCI official said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board has lodged a protest with the Asian Cricket Council after the incident, deeming India’s behaviour as against the “spirit of cricket”. A PCB statement claimed that match referee Andy Pycroft had allegedly asked the two captains not to shake hands a the toss.