No Courtesy, No Compromise: India Uses Cricket to Deliver Its Message to Pakistan

Sports handshakes are not laws inscribed into lawbooks; they are rituals, shorthand for respect and recognition that what was war on the field is ended in courtesy. But when India's cricketers left their Pakistani counterparts at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, they asserted that this ritual too can be divested of its sacredness when the situation requires.

In the 1,299 days since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has refused to shake hands with any opponent from Russia or Belarus. Her stance is an act of resistance, a refusal to normalise relations with those representing countries waging war on her homeland. The Women’s Tennis Association has publicly backed her. On Sunday night, India borrowed from that same playbook.

The Match Beyond the Match

The Asia Cup encounter between India and Pakistan has always been about something more than cricket, but on this occasion, the failure to shake hands overshadowed even the score. India's skipper Suryakumar Yadav specifically shunned his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha at the coin toss. Three hours later, having secured an imposing seven-wicket victory with a six, Suryakumar walked off the field arm-in-arm with Shivam Dube, not once looking towards the Pakistan players.

The message was inescapable. A few days ago, before the tournament, Suryakumar had shaken hands with Agha and even Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi at a pre-tournament press conference. That created ripples of outrage in India, with critics calling for the fixture to be boycotted following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack on civilians, which left 26 dead. By Sunday, India's stance had toughened.

"Today, our government and BCCI were with us," Suryakumar said. "There are a few things in life superior to sportsperson's spirit. We support the victims of Pahalgam terror attack, their families, and sacrifice this victory for our armed forces."

It was not a cricket captain talking. It was the voice of a team implementing a choice evidently sanctioned by greater authorities — the BCCI and, indirectly, the Indian government.

Pakistan's Reaction

For Pakistan, the act was unexpected and insulting. Their skipper avoided the post-match presentation — a rare but telling gesture of protest — and the Pakistan Cricket Board made a formal complaint, alleging match referee Andy Pycroft had told the captains not to shake hands at the toss. Pakistan coach Mike Hesson attempted to water down the report, reporting that Pakistan were "willing to engage" and "disappointed." But the imagery left no one in doubt that the Indians had shut doors on the traditional niceties that often blur the brutality of an India–Pakistan confrontation.

Silence Between Rivals

The snub was not limited to the toss and the end. Throughout the 40 overs, the game was characterized by the complete lack of conversation or gestures between players. There was no sledging, no send-offs, not even a wry smile shared. The nearest to interaction was when Pakistan's Faheem Ashraf carelessly threw the ball back to Kuldeep Yadav. The rest was silence — silence heavy with intent.

Cricket as Diplomacy — or the Denial of It

Cricket was, for decades, a bridge and battle between India and Pakistan. Sometimes, a handshake or a hug was portrayed as a thaw in frosty bilateral relations. Sometimes, withdrawals and boycotts emphasized hostility. What happened in Dubai falls squarely in the latter category.

By refusing the handshake, India essentially announced that they do not consider Pakistan deserving of even the symbolic gestures of friendship. It was not about disrespecting players but about demarcating a political boundary: friendship, even in sport, is off-limits as long as terrorism is an open sore.

The Cricketing Context

Lost somewhat in the furore was the cricket itself. India clinically dismantled Pakistan's batting, bowling them out for 127 after a late flourish by Shaheen Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem. Abhishek Sharma's 31 from 13 balls set the tone for the chase, and Suryakumar's calm 47 sealed victory in 16 overs.

Pakistan's wait to beat India in a significant men's tournament goes on, but this time, the margin was less important than the significance of what came next.

The Larger Question

India's choice will have implications beyond the Asia Cup. It poses urgent questions: Should sport ever be kept separate from politics, or is sport exactly the place where political messages speak most loudly? For India, at least in this instant, the answer is obvious.

The no-handshake gesture had nothing to do with unsportsmanship; it was done out of solidarity with victims of terror, out of aligning cricket with the national temperament. Just as Svitolina has employed tennis courts to stage her protest against Russian aggression, India has employed cricket's most-watched rivalry to convey its message to Pakistan.

Whether this position becomes the standard for future India–Pakistan confrontations is yet to be determined. But this is for sure: the quiet of a handshake not given can at times say more than the din of a stadium full of fans.

Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: India vs Pakistan – Head-to-Head, Pitch Report, Stats and Records