[WATCH] No handshake with Pakistan continues post Asia Cup 2025 as India captain refuses pre-match gesture

India’s decision to refuse the pre-game gesture continues even after the 2025 season of the Asia Cup, where Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian T20I captain, decided to ignore such scenarios with Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha. Even after the conclusion of the competition, the Blue Brigade decided not to accept the trophy from the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.

India’s Kabaddi team secured a decisive victory against Pakistan with a score of 81-26 at the third fixture of the Asian Youth Games. The encounter, however, earned massive attention for not just the gameplay but the pre-game incident where the Indian captain, Ishant Rathee, decided to decline the handshake gesture with his Pakistani counterpart during the toss.

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In this case, the captain of the Pakistan Kabaddi team extended his right arm, only to withdraw it after noticing his Indian counterpart’s indifferent expression. Although even after the end of the clash, both teams customarily shook hands. The Asian Youth Games 2025 mark a milestone as the first time Kabaddi has been included in the competition. Seven teams are participating in the round-robin format.

Watch: No pre-game gesture between India and Pakistan continues even after Asia Cup 2025

India currently hold the top position in the tournament standings, maintaining an undefeated record in three games. Iran has the rank in second place. The tournament’s final matches are scheduled to take place on October 23. The victory for the Indian Kabaddi team has solidified their position as a dominant force in the event, which also showcased their exceptional performance in all the matches till now.

 

 

 

 

 

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India beat Pakistan in the first group-stage encounter on September 14 by seven wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. A week later, at the same venue, the Blue Brigade got the better of the arch-rivals by 41 runs in the Super 4 stage. The same occasion got repeated on the next Sunday in the final, where the Indian team earned the victory by five wickets.

India will now shift their focus to the away Australia series, which will start next week in October. This will be a great preparation for the side in a challenging series ahead of the next year’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.