At toss, when Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, won the toss and decided to bat first on a tough surface at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, didn’t shake hands. It stretched to the end of the clash as Sky nailed the winning run and walked off the ground with partner Shivam Dube. The entire team didn’t shake hands either as they entered the dressing room.

After India’s victory by seven wickets with 25 balls to spare in the Asia Cup fixture, the post-match presentation was held for several minutes. When it did take place after a short delay, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) didn’t send their captain, as only Sky and the player-of-the-match award winner, Kuldeep Yadav, turned up for the ceremony.

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“Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against the Indian players' behavior of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the spirit of the game. As a protest, we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony.” The PCB expressed in a statement.

Pakistan lodge protest against India for refusing to shake hands in Asia Cup 2025

At the end of the game, during the press conference, Pakistan’s head coach, Mike Hesson, had called for the absence of their leader a flow-on effect on India’s decision not to shake hands. Sky also dedicated the victory to the Armed Forces of India in memory of the innocent lives lost during the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year.

The reports have revealed that the match referee, Andy Pycroft, reached out to the captain of Pakistan at the toss and requested him not to shake hands with the Indian counterpart, Suryakumar. The Board has understood that they were miffed with the referee’s approach, but later changed the tune to not reveal his name in the press release.

The reports from the Indian camp suggested that Suryakumar didn’t shake hands with the UAE’s captain, Muhammed Waseem, either at the toss. However, both sides exchanged their handshakes after the completion of the game. India’s next clash in the group stage of the event will take place on September 19 against Oman in Abu Dhabi.