Friday, Nov 7: India’s narrow 2-run victory (DLS) over Pakistan in the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 ended in fresh controversy after Indian players once again refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, continuing the stance seen earlier this year during the Asia Cup in the UAE.
Following the rain-affected thriller, which saw India edge out Pakistan under the DLS method, players from both sides walked off without the customary handshake. The gesture—or lack thereof—has now become a symbolic continuation of India’s policy amid ongoing cross-border tensions.
During the Asia Cup 2025, India had refrained from handshakes in all three encounters against Pakistan — the group stage, the Super Fours, and the final — following the Pahalgam terror attack, which heightened diplomatic and sporting sensitivities between the two nations.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav and the Indian squad had then made the conscious decision to avoid any form of physical courtesy with the Pakistan team, a stance that drew both criticism and support from across the cricket world.
The Hong Kong Sixes match, though exhibition-style and meant to promote fast-paced cricket, reflected that the political tensions continue to spill onto the field, as players maintained distance post-match.
With India now registering another win over Pakistan—this time in a shorter format and in international exhibition cricket—the absence of post-match interaction has once again reignited debate on the intersection of politics and sportsmanship in the Indo-Pak cricket rivalry.
