India’s cricket team delivered a strong six-wicket victory over Pakistan in their Asia Cup Super Fours match in Dubai on Sunday, but the post-game vibes stayed tense with no handshake between the rivals. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and his players celebrated in the dugout, sharing hugs and high-fives, yet they skipped the traditional post-match greetings with Pakistan—marking the second time this happened in the tournament.
The awkwardness started even before the first ball. At the toss, Suryakumar and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha once again avoided the usual handshake, just like in their group-stage clash that India won by seven wickets. Suryakumar won the toss, opted to field first, explained his team’s changes, and walked straight back to his side without any exchange. Fans and experts have linked this to the strained India-Pakistan relations, fueled by the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. That incident claimed 26 tourists’ lives in what authorities called a Pakistan-sponsored assault in the name of religion.
The no-handshake drama spilled over after the game too. As Indian stars like Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma headed to the dugout, Pakistan players waited, but no greetings followed. India pointed fingers at match referee Andy Pycroft for the mix-up, turning it into a full-blown handshake row. Tensions simmered off the field and boiled over during play, echoing famous rivalries like the 1996 Aamer Sohail-Venkatesh Prasad showdown.
On the pitch, India’s Shubman Gill sparked some fire. In the third over’s final ball against Shaheen Afridi, Gill smashed a four to extra cover and pointed where the ball went, drawing a sharp look from the bowler who just turned and walked away. Things heated up more in the fifth over when Abhishek Sharma nailed a short-arm jab for another four off Haris Rauf. Words flew between Abhishek and Rauf after the over, pulling in umpire Gazi Sohel to step in and cool it down.
The on-field sparks only fired up India. They chased down Pakistan’s total ruthlessly, with Suryakumar and Shivam Dube starring in the win. This victory stretches India’s unbeaten run to four matches in the Asia Cup, keeping their title hopes alive amid the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry drama.
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