India Triumphs Over Pakistan in Asia Cup Amid Tense Backdrop, No Handshakes Exchanged

In a commanding display of cricketing dominance and emotional resolve, India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in a one-sided Asia Cup clash in Dubai on Sunday. But what has come to define the match is not the result—but the gesture that never came: the handshake.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, who remained unbeaten on 47 off 37 balls, chose not to shake hands with Pakistan players at the end of the match—a decision he had made earlier in the day and communicated to his team. The act—or its omission—was a silent yet powerful statement, coming in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, in which Indian security personnel lost their lives.

“We stand with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam attack. We express our solidarity and dedicate today’s win to the Armed Forces,” Yadav said during the post-match interview.

This was the first India-Pakistan encounter since Operation Sindoor, India’s military response in May targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The atmosphere in Dubai reflected the geopolitical strain, with both teams notably avoiding customary pleasantries at the toss or during warm-ups.

At the toss, both captains—Yadav and Pakistan’s Salman Agha—stood stone-faced, neither initiating any handshake or greeting. The same continued post-match, with Indian players walking off without engaging their Pakistani counterparts.

Yadav later clarified that the decision to skip the handshake was left to each player’s discretion. The BCCI and the Indian government, he noted, had agreed to proceed with the match for tournament commitments, but emotions on the ground ran deep.

India’s spin trio choked Pakistan’s batting lineup, restricting them to a paltry 127. In response, Abhishek Sharma’s explosive start all but sealed the result early, before Yadav calmly finished the chase.

Despite a few fumbles in the field—return catches missed by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy—India’s performance was clinical and controlled. Hardik Pandya, usually calm, was seen fired up; the Indian side carried a noticeably emotional energy throughout.

Interestingly, while the players maintained distance, many fans in the crowd took a different approach. Scenes of India and Pakistan supporters bonding, clicking selfies, and sharing light moments stood in contrast to the palpable frostiness on the pitch.

Still, in a match that lacked drama or last-over thrill, it was the handshake that never was that drew the spotlight. In a rivalry rich with cricketing folklore—from Miandad’s mimicry to Prasad’s fiery send-offs—this encounter may be remembered for a silent, symbolic absence rather than any on-field heroics.

Once billed as the fiercest clash in international cricket, India vs Pakistan has, in recent years, become less competitive and more emotionally charged. With bilateral cricket suspended since 2013 due to diplomatic tensions, these tournament-only meetings have grown in symbolic weight.

As both teams now look ahead in the tournament, this match will go down not for the boundary hits or lbw appeals, but for the message sent—wordlessly but powerfully—by the hands that never met.