NEW DELHI — After the Indian cricket team beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup 2025, there was a lot of controversy because the Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistani squad and match officials after the game. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is apparently looking into the event, which made Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson very angry.
Reports say that the Indian players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, went straight to their dressing room after the game, leaving the Pakistani players on the field. After then, the door to the dressing room was closed, leaving the other team and even the match officials confused. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha didn’t go to the post-match presentation ceremony after the protest.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav justified the team’s actions during a news conference, saying that the move was in line with the BCCI and the government and was a way to show support for the victims of the Pahalgam terror tragedy that happened earlier this year. “We stand with the victims and families of the Pahalgam terror attack, and we dedicate today’s win to the armed forces,” he stated.
The ACC hasn’t said anything formal yet, but a high-ranking official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told PTI on Monday that handshakes are a matter of goodwill, not legality. The official, who asked not to be named, said, “There is nothing in the rule book that says you have to shake hands with the other team.” It is a kind gesture and a common practice, but it is not a law that everyone follows. The official went on to say that the Indian team doesn’t have to extend the gesture to an opponent with whom they have a “history of strained relationship” because there is no legislation that says they have to.
The ICC’s Code of Conduct and the “Spirit of Cricket” preamble tell teams to congratulate their opponents and thank the officials, but they don’t say that a handshake is required. This lack of clarity may help India, as reports say the squad is ready to stick to its “no-handshake” policy for the rest of the tournament, even if they have to play Pakistan again in the Super Four stage or the final.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially complained to the ICC over the incident and asked for the immediate removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. The PCB says that Pycroft told both captains not to shake hands during the toss. This has made the political and sports tensions between the two countries even worse.