India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup, but a missing handshake stole the spotlight. The neighbours met for the first time since their brief military clash in May. India controlled the match from the start, restricting Pakistan to 127 for 9 in 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan made 40 while Shaheen Afridi hit an unbeaten 33. Kuldeep Yadav took 3 for 18 and Axar Patel 2 for 18 to choke Pakistan’s batting.
India’s chase was smooth. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma scored 31 each, and captain Suryakumar Yadav sealed the win with an unbeaten 47. The result confirmed India’s place in the Super Four. Yet the game ended without the usual show of sportsmanship. Pakistan’s players waited for the handshake while India walked straight to the dressing room.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said, “We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, but our opposition did not do that. We sort of went over there to shake hands, and they had already gone into the changing room.” He added, “That was a disappointing way for the match to finish.” Captain Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation in protest.
The Pakistan Cricket Board lodged a formal complaint. “Manager Naveed Akram Cheema has registered a formal protest against the match referee’s behaviour,” the PCB said. Officials stated that match referee Andy Pycroft had only requested captains not to shake hands during the toss, not after the game. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi called India’s action “utterly disappointing” and said politics should stay out of cricket.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav explained the decision. “We took this call before the game, in alignment with the BCCI and the government. A few things in life are above sportsmanship. We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and with their families, and dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor,” he said.
The April attack in Pahalgam killed 26 Indian tourists and led to a brief military escalation. India accused Pakistan of involvement, though the Resistance Front claimed responsibility. Relations remain tense, and the missing handshake reflected the political chill more than the cricket result.
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