T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha skip handshake in Colombo

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha skipped the customary handshake during the toss at the T20 World Cup 2026 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15. Both teams entered the match unbeaten in the tournament, with India placed first and Pakistan second in the standings.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to field, naming an unchanged playing XI. India made two changes, bringing in Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav in place of Sanju Samson and Arshdeep Singh. During the toss proceedings, the two captains did not shake hands, continuing a similar stance seen during the Asia Cup 2025.

The handshake row dates back to the Asia Cup 2025, where both captains refrained from shaking hands during all three encounters between the two sides. The situation stemmed from geopolitical tensions in May that significantly impacted sporting ties, and the stance has continued into the T20 World Cup 2026.

Speaking about their campaigns, India began their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey with an impressive victory over the United States and followed it up with another win against Namibia in New Delhi. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India currently top Group A in the points table. Pakistan have also remained unbeaten in their two group-stage matches, securing a narrow win over the Netherlands before delivering a clinical performance against the United States.

The Men in Blue are the defending champions, having lifted the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy after defeating South Africa in the final held across the West Indies and the USA. They will look to claim the title once again, aiming to become the first team in history to win the tournament three times. Meanwhile, Pakistan will be targeting their second T20 World Cup crown.