Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav upheld his team’s no-handshake stance with Pakistan during the toss of the high-stakes Super Four Asia Cup match on Sunday.
India won the toss and chose to field in their opening Super Four encounter in Dubai on September 21.
After the toss, Suryakumar explained that the heavy dew observed during Saturday’s practice influenced his decision. “We’ll bowl first. Looks a nice track and yesterday there was dew. Since the first round we were thinking we’re playing a knockout tournament, nothing changes. That was a completely different wicket (in Abu Dhabi). Quite normal, just another game. Bumrah and Varun come back for Arshdeep and Harshit.”
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said his team would have preferred to bowl first but embraced the challenge. “Would’ve bowled first as well. It’s a new game, new challenge. The mood is very normal. Pitch looks to be on the slower side. Want to start well with both bat and ball. Two changes. Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah not playing.”
Ahead of Sunday’s clash, Salman Ali Agha’s squad received a surprise visit from PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also chairs the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi went directly to the Pakistan nets at the ICC Academy in Dubai, prompting players to pause their practice to meet him. He later engaged in a lively discussion with head coach Mike Hesson, using expressive gestures, before summoning captain Agha to underline a few key points.
During last week’s group-stage match, Suryakumar Yadav courted controversy by refusing to shake hands at the toss. India later exited the field at the conclusion of the game, again bypassing the customary handshake with the Pakistan team. Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint with the ICC against match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging that he had prevented the captains from shaking hands.
The PCB even threatened to boycott their next match against the UAE, demanding Pycroft’s removal. The fixture went ahead following a meeting with the Zimbabwean referee, who reportedly apologised to Pakistan. The ICC later cleared Pycroft of any wrongdoing, noting that he had merely communicated India’s decision not to shake hands. Pycroft was subsequently appointed as match referee for the Super Four game.
On the field, India delivered a dominant performance, extending their recent supremacy over their arch-rivals. Yet, the post-match formalities were again marred by controversy. Indian players collectively refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, citing solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan lodged a formal complaint, labeling the gesture as “unsporting.”
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