Beyond Cricket: Handshake suspense adds fire to IND vs PAK clash

Colombo, Feb 15: India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav is unlikely to shake hands with Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha before or after today’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 match in Colombo. This adds more drama to an already tense game.

The handshake idea was discussed earlier in Lahore but rejected. On the eve of the match, reporters asked both captains again. Surya said, “Wait for 24 hours and see,” without giving a clear answer, while Agha replied, “It is up to them to decide.”

The issue started during the Asia Cup, when Surya refused to shake hands after political tensions spilled into cricket. That time, even the usual post-match handshake line was skipped.

This World Cup match itself almost didn’t happen because of boycott calls. The ICC had to hold late talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board to make sure the game went ahead.

Now, the handshake question has become symbolic, showing how the India–Pakistan rivalry is about more than just cricket.