Chicago- September 15, 2025
India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup clash at Dubai Stadium on Sunday was eclipsed by off-field drama after Indian players skipped the customary post-match handshake.
Instead of greeting their opponents, Suryakumar Yadav and teammate Shivam Dube exchanged fist bumps after hitting the winning runs, congratulated each other, and then headed straight to the dressing room.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and head coach Mike Hesson later approached the Indian camp, but no players came out.
Hesson called it “a disappointing way for the match to end.”
“We were ready to shake hands at the end, but the opposition had already gone to the dressing room,” he said.
Pakistan, in protest, refused to attend the post-match ceremony as tensions flared in a match which was the first between the bitter rivals since May´s military action.
The cross-border clashes were sparked after an attack in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in April, which killed 26 people, with India blaming Pakistan.
A mix-up with Pakistan’s anthem before the start had already made the atmosphere tense.
The coach also shed light on Agha’s absence from the customary post-match presentation, linking it to the incident.
