COLOMBO – After the Asia Cup, the Indian team continued its uncooperative stance during the T20 World Cup, going against the spirit of the game, as the Indian captain refused to shake hands with the Pakistani captain.
According to reports, India’s anger over the six-plane incident still lingers, and the decision not to shake hands in the Pakistan-India match was taken by the Indian team. Cricket circles have expressed regret over this move, noting that such actions undermine the spirit and structure of the game.
During a press conference a day before the match, when asked about the handshake, the Indian captain remarked that everyone should “wait 24 hours for the handshake” and emphasized that the focus should be on playing good cricket. He added, “The suspense over the handshake will end tomorrow. Wait 24 hours, have your meal, sleep, and see what happens tomorrow.”
It is worth noting that in the Asia Cup, the traditional rivals faced each other three times, and on all three occasions, the Indian captain did not shake hands. After those matches, the Indian team had also retreated straight to the dressing room.
Former Indian cricket star and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to shake hands with Pakistani players, calling it “foolish.” On his X account, Manjrekar wrote that India’s “handshake boycott” is very unwise and unbecoming of a country like India.
