Asia Cup 2025: PCB lodges official complaint after Team India refuses handshake with PAK players; Shoaib reacts

India vs. Pakistan match is not just a cricket game or sport; it's an emotion for players, for cricket fans, and for the citizens of both countries. Despite boycotts, hue and cry on social media, Indians slammed BCCI for holding a cricket match with Pakistan amid unsettling unrest and tension between the two nations following the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 innocent lives, where armed forces retaliated with Operation Sindoor.

From the social media ban on Pakistani actors to them not working in India, to their films and Pakistani drama ban, and the controversial Indus Water Treaty, amid all this and more, playing an India-Pak match was out of the syllabus. But it was played in Dubai, and the stands, which are usually full and overflowing with crowds cheering, were empty on Sunday night, as people boycotted in huge numbers.

India clinched victory by 7 wickets. Indians, though, weren't glued to their phones and TV sets but did keep a tab and watch the match and rejoiced after India's big win.

All this was off-field, but on-field things weren't cordial at all; from the Indian players' body language to the way they ignored and avoided Pakistani players.

In every match, both the team players have to shake hands as a customary gesture, but Team India didn't shake hands after the toss and even after the win.

The Pakistani team players waited for Team India for a handshake on the field, but the players of India greeted one another, hugged, shook hands with team members, and went straight up to the dressing room, while the Pakistani players waited for Team India, but our team didn't shake hands.

Well, this did cool down the Indians, who were enraged before the match over how India could play with Pakistan. But seeing Indian players being only professional and keeping it limited to the sport and not shaking hands had caused a stir on social media from Pakistani netizens.

Pakistanis are crying foul and have filed an official complaint with the match referee, Andy Pycroft, after Team India refused to shake hands with the opposition.

Pakistan's team manager, Naveed Akram Cheema, called it unsporting

The gesture left the Pakistan team in surprise, and even their captain, Salman Agha, who skipped the TV interview to mark his protest.

A PCB statement read, "Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against Indian players' behaviour of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the sport of the game. As a protest, we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony. The match referee Andy Pycroft had asked captain Salman Ali Agha, at the time of the toss, not to shake hands with his Indian counterpart. The Pakistan team management has lodged a protest, calling the behaviour against the spirit of sports."

Shoaib Akhtar reacts to handshake snub

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar reacted, "I'm speechless. It is disheartening to see and I don't know what to say. Hats off to India. Just don't make things political. Cricket match hain isko political mat banao. Hum ne acchi statement di hai aapkee liye. Hum bohut kuchh bol sakte hai. Hoti rehte hain ladayi jhagre, ghar me bhi ho jaati hain. Forget it, move on. It is the game of cricket."

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha is not attending the post-match presentation ceremony. Shoaib said, "Thik kiya Salman Ali Agha ne, wo nahi gaya post match mein, good (Salman Ali Agha did the right thing, he did not go to the post-match ceremony, good)."

Suryakumar Yadav on India's win

Suryakumar Yadav, during his post-match press conference, clearly stated that the win is dedicated to the armed forces. He also paid tribute to the Pahalgam victims.

He said, "We took a team call. We had come only to play. We had given them a reply. Some things are beyond sportsmanship. We dedicate this victory to our armed forces who took part in 'Operation Sindoor' and stand with families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack."