Dubai, Sep 27 – Tension is building ahead of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan on Sunday, and an old issue has resurfaced: the handshake snub. India has stuck to its no-handshake policy with Pakistani players, citing their country’s support for those behind the Pahalgam terror attack. It all started when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the team’s league-stage win over Pakistan to the nation’s armed forces for Operation Sindoor.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha didn’t hold back when asked about it during Saturday’s press conference in Dubai. “I’ve been playing cricket since U16 in 2007, and I’ve never seen teams skip handshakes like this,” he said. “Even when India-Pakistan relations were at their worst, players from both sides still shook hands. It just doesn’t happen.”
Agha knows the Indians plan to keep up the policy in the final, but he’s focused on the game. India has dominated recent clashes, including two Asia Cup wins this tournament, yet Agha insists his team feels no extra pressure facing them for a third time. “The final puts the same heat on both squads,” he added. “We ignore what the Indian media says – it’s all about nailing the basics.”
India enters unbeaten, with six straight victories in the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup. Pakistan, though, has stumbled in past matches against them. Agha admits his players made plenty of errors before but is optimistic they’ll clean it up Sunday. The 31-year-old captain hasn’t fired on all cylinders himself, scoring just 64 runs across six innings at an average of 12.8 and a strike rate of 78.05.
“Yeah, my strike rate hasn’t been great, and I haven’t performed well,” Agha confessed. “But you don’t always need 150 – it’s about reading the situation and playing smart.” As these cricket rivals gear up for another high-stakes showdown, fans are bracing for drama on and off the field.
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