Pakistan Captain Defers Handshake Decision to India Ahead of T20 World Cup Showdown
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has stated that it is entirely up to India's players to decide whether they will engage in pre- and post-match handshakes with his team during Sunday's highly anticipated T20 World Cup clash in Colombo. This match marks the first encounter between the two cricketing giants since last year's acrimonious Asia Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates, which was won by India and saw players refusing to shake hands.
Political Tensions Spill Over onto the Cricket Field
Long-standing political and diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India have frequently influenced their cricketing relations, creating a charged atmosphere around their matches. The upcoming game has been further complicated by recent controversies, including Pakistan's government threatening a boycott after the International Cricket Council expelled Bangladesh from the World Cup for refusing to play matches in India due to security concerns.
Pakistan only agreed to participate following intense discussions with the ICC, highlighting the fixture's significance as a major revenue earner for the global cricketing body. The Asia Cup tensions reached a peak when India captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Agha, leading to heated moments throughout the tournament. Both Suryakumar and Pakistan's Haris Rauf were fined for breaching the ICC's code of conduct during those incidents.
Captains Express Divergent Views on Sportsmanship
Addressing the media on Saturday, Agha emphasized the importance of playing cricket in the right spirit, while placing the onus on India regarding handshake protocols. "The game should be played in real spirit, the way it has been played since it started. The rest is up to them (India), what they want to do," he remarked.
In contrast, Suryakumar Yadav adopted a non-committal stance when questioned about the handshake issue. "Why are you highlighting that? We are here to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls tomorrow. We will see tomorrow," he told reporters, redirecting focus towards the sporting contest itself.
Historical Context and Competitive Records
The strained political and military relations between the two nations have prevented them from playing a bilateral series for years. India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, while Pakistan's last visit to India was for the 50-over World Cup in 2023. Since then, their encounters have been limited to ICC tournaments at neutral venues.
India holds a dominant record against Pakistan in T20 cricket, having won 12 of their 16 matches. In T20 World Cup competitions specifically, India boasts an impressive 6-1 record across eight matches since the inaugural edition in 2007, with one game ending in a tie. Agha acknowledged this historical disadvantage, stating, "We don't have a good record against them in World Cups. But whenever you come to play a new match, it's a new day and you have to play good cricket to win."
He added, "You can't change history. You can learn from it. We learned from it and we'll try to do a good performance tomorrow and win the match." Suryakumar echoed this forward-looking approach, noting that his players would put past memories behind them to avoid complacency.
Additional Controversies and Player Concerns
Beyond the handshake debate, other issues have surfaced in the lead-up to the match. Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq's bowling action has come under scrutiny from Indian media, who have questioned its legality due to his pause before delivery. Agha defended his teammate, asserting, "The guy has been cleared twice and he has done whatever the ICC said, and whatever it requires to bowl in international cricket. I don't know why people are saying so many things about him, but the one thing I can assure you, he doesn't care about that because he's very used to this stuff."
On the Indian side, aggressive opening batter Abhishek Sharma's health has been a topic of discussion after he missed the match against Namibia due to a stomach infection, adding another layer of uncertainty to the high-stakes encounter.
