Pakistan won the toss and invited India to bat in Colombo. At the time of toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Pakistani captain Salman Ali Aga. This step was not sudden, but is considered to be a part of the protocol being adopted between the two teams since the Asia Cup held in Dubai last year.
Distance from the tradition of shaking hands in matches
In fact, after Asia Cup 2025, India has distanced itself from the tradition of shaking hands in matches against Pakistan. This decision was not limited to the senior men’s team only, but the same policy was followed in age group competitions and women’s cricket also. The main reason behind this decision is considered to be the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and subsequent incidents like Operation Sindoor conducted by the Indian Armed Forces, due to which the tension in the relations between the two countries increased further.
When Suryakumar Yadav was asked a question on this issue during the toss in Colombo, he replied smilingly, but was seen avoiding saying anything directly. He said that at present the team’s entire focus is on playing cricket and other issues can be considered later. He said in a light tone that there is no need to pay much attention to this topic and everyone should enjoy the match.
What did Pakistani captain Salman Ali Aga say?
On the other hand, in the press conference held before the match, Pakistani captain Salman Ali Aga also appeared alert on this issue. When he was asked whether the two captains would shake hands, he said that this situation would become clear during the match itself. However, he definitely said that cricket should always be played with sportsmanship and this is most important. He also added that the spirit and traditions of the game matter more than personal views.
Who is playing in the match?
The issue first came into limelight during the Asia Cup 2025, when the Pakistan Cricket Board and its president Mohsin Naqvi reacted strongly to Suryakumar Yadav’s refusal to shake hands. At that time, Pakistan had also warned of boycotting the next match, but later decided to continue participating in the tournament. This controversy remained a topic of discussion throughout the tournament.
In this match being played in Colombo, the Indian team included Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Rinku Singh, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakraborty and Jasprit Bumrah. Whereas, Saeem Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Aga, Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq are playing for Pakistan.
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