Asia Cup 2025, IND vs PAK: Suryakumar Yadav skips handshake at toss amid tense backdrop.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav chose not to engage in the customary handshake with his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha during the toss of the high-voltage Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai on Sunday, September 14.
Standing alongside presenter Ravi Shastri, both captains kept their interaction minimal, refraining from any greeting before and after the toss. The decision came after Suryakumar informed team management, just hours before the game, that he would not take part in the tradition, leaving it to his teammates to decide for themselves.
The move reflected India’s sensitivity to public sentiment following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and the subsequent Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in Pakistan. Calls to boycott the game had been growing louder, even as the government cleared India’s participation in multi-nation events despite a freeze on bilateral ties.
The episode came just days after Suryakumar faced criticism for greeting Salman Ali Agha at a captains’ meeting and for shaking hands with Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also holds the position of Pakistan’s Interior Minister.
On the field, Pakistan gained the early edge after Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to bat on a dry, spin-friendly Dubai pitch. Both sides went in unchanged, with Pakistan persisting with their three-spinner strategy, mirroring India’s successful Champions Trophy formula from earlier this year.
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