High Drama as Indo-Pak Cricket Rivals Sidestep Handshakes in Rising Stars Tournament

During the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament, players from India A and Pakistan Shaheens avoided handshakes, following a precedent set during the senior Asia Cup. India's Jitesh Sharma and Pakistan's Irfan Khan adhered to this trend. The avoidance signifies ongoing tensions in Indo-Pak cricket relations.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Doha | Updated: 16-11-2025 21:12 IST | Created: 16-11-2025 21:12 IST

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The Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament saw players from India A and Pakistan Shaheens skipping the customary handshake, echoing the senior squads' actions from September. Both teams parted ways after the national anthems, with Pakistan Shaheens opting to field first.

The trend traces back to the Asia Cup when India's T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, refrained from shaking hands with Salman Ali Agha, expressing solidarity with the Pahalgam terror attack victims.

India A's captain, Jitesh Sharma, similarly opted out of a handshake with Pakistan Shaheens skipper Irfan Khan at the toss, mirroring ongoing tensions in Indo-Pak cricket. The discord intensified when PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi declined to award the Asia Cup trophy to India in Dubai.

(With inputs from agencies.)