Asia Cup 2025: PCB lodge protest following India's 'unsporting' handshake controversy

Team India’s refusal to engage in the customary handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts during their clash in the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai has prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to officially lodge a protest, calling the act unsporting and against the spirit of the game.

This was the first meeting between the two nations since the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which claimed several lives. Ahead of the fixture, the Indian government and the BCCI had held a stance that the Men in Blue would play Pakistan in multilateral events but maintain a no-contact policy outside the game. Under this directive, India’s players decided to refuse handshakes, dedicating their win as a tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam attack.

Notably, match referee Andy Pycroft had already informed both captains before the toss that handshakes would not take place. Yet, Pakistan’s attempt to approach the Indian dressing room post-match led to the opposition closing the doors of their dressing room.

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Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson described Agha’s absence at post-match interview

At the toss, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha refrained from shaking hands with Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, following Pycroft’s instructions. However, after the match, Pakistan waited for India near the boundary rope, expecting the tradition of post-match handshakes. However, India walked straight into their dressing room, avoiding any physical engagement.

The PCB released a statement confirming that team manager Naveed Akram Cheema had lodged a formal protest. They also noted that Salman deliberately skipped the post-match presentation ceremony in protest, since the host was also an Indian representative. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson described Agha’s absence as a follow-on effect of India’s decision.

"Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against Indian players' behaviour 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," PCB said in a statement.

Later, Suryakumar clarified at the press conference that the decision was pre-planned and stressed that the no-handshake gesture was not personal but part of the directive.