Asia Cup 2025: Will India face any action over refusal to shake hands with Pakistan? Here’s what ICC rules say
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Asia Cup 2025: Will India face any action over refusal to shake hands with Pakistan? Here’s what ICC rules say")
Asia Cup 2025: Will India face any action over refusal to shake hands with Pakistan? Here’s what ICC rules say Photograph: (AFP)
After scoring the winning runs in India's win over Pakistan on Sunday, both Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube walked straight to the dressing room without greeting any of the Pakistani players.
India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2025 encounter on Sunday (Sep 14) as the Men in Blue continued their dominance in the fixture. Playing at the Dubai International Stadium, Suryakumar Yadav-led India registered a dominating seven-wicket victory. However, whenever these two teams meet, it’s more than just a game; it’s full of drama, emotions, and sometimes controversy. This time, the controversy wasn’t about the match itself. It was about what happened before and after it. At the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Pakistan skipper Agha Salman.
Hand shake saga takes centre stage
And later, after scoring the winning runs, both Suryakumar and Shivam Dube walked straight to the dressing room without greeting any of the Pakistani players. No Indian player came back out to shake hands with the opposition. The dressing room doors were shut, making the moment even more noticeable.
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Many are calling it a 'silent protest' or a handshake boycott. The timing is important; this comes shortly after the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack in the India's Jammu and Kashmir, which has once again raised political tensions between India and Pakistan.
After the match, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially complained to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and later to the International Cricket Council (ICC). They’ve also asked for match referee Andy Pycroft to be removed, claiming he told Agha Salman not to go for the handshake at the toss to avoid a possible scene.
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What does the ICC rule say?
The ICC Preamble – Spirit of Cricket, included in the T20I Playing Conditions, states: “Congratulate the opposition on their success, and enjoy those of your own team. Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result.” Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct lists “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game” as a Level 1 offence.
Although the ICC has not made any official statement yet, Suryakumar’s choice not to shake hands may be considered a violation of the ICC’s Spirit of Cricket. If so, the ICC could impose a fine on the captain, but such fines are usually not very large in cases like this.
So it will be interesting to see what happens next in the handshake saga that has taken the centre stage.
