Warning to Team India before India-Pak match, big statement from former cricketer on handshake controversy

India Vs Pak: The atmosphere is already heated before the India-Pakistan match in Colombo, but now a new controversy has become the center of discussion. Ahead of this high-voltage ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has openly raised questions on India’s no-handshake policy against Pakistan. He has called it stupid and not good for a big cricket country.

Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on his Instagram account, “The ‘no handshake’ rule brought by India is absolutely stupid. It does not suit a country like ours. In the spirit of the game, either play properly or do not play at all.” Manjrekar clearly believes that if two teams are playing against each other, then the basic traditions of the game should be respected.

What did you say on Pahalgam attack?

India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams have adopted a ‘no handshake’ policy against Pakistan in recent months. This created a lot of uproar during the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup. This decision has been taken after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir and the subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor by the Indian Army. 26 innocent civilians lost their lives in this attack.

The India-Pakistan match continued on the field, but the traditional handshake was avoided. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav avoided giving a direct answer on this issue. Surya said, “Wait for 24 hours. We have come here to play cricket.” It is clear from his statement that the team does not want to say anything publicly on this issue at this time.

What did Salman Ali say?

Pakistan team captain Salman Ali Aga said that cricket should be played in the right spirit and his team is ready for the traditional handshake. Salman further said, “The decision is in their hands, but cricket should always be played in the spirit of the game.”

Pakistan expressed displeasure over Suryakumar Yadav’s refusal to shake hands during the Asia Cup and also threatened to boycott for a short time. However, later the Pakistani team continued to participate in the tournament. Now in this big match to be held in Colombo, everyone’s eyes will not only be on runs and wickets, but also on the ‘handshake moment’ before and after the match.

India-Pakistan matches have always been emotional. It will be interesting to see whether the tradition will be followed this time too or the ‘no handshake’ policy will continue.

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