Asia Cup: Immense love between Indian players; no room for handshake with Pakistan

Dubai [UAE], September 22 (ANI): There was immense love between the Indian players in the dugout, but there wasn't any room for the customary handshake with Pakistan after the game concluded with a commanding six-wicket win for captain Suryakumar Yadav and his troops in their Super Fours fixture at the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.

It was the second instance in the tournament when both teams refrained from shaking hands with each other after the fixture. After Hardik Pandya and Tilak Verma went back to the dugout, the team management and players greeted them. After their return, there was some discussion.

The tone of the contest was set after Suryakumar and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha once again refrained from engaging in the customary tradition of shaking hands before the toss. After Suryakumar won the toss and finished explaining the reason behind his decision to field first and the couple of changes they made, he turned away and went to join his team. This marked the second time the two captains have not shaken hands in the tournament.

During the group-stage encounter between the two neighbouring nations, which India won by seven wickets, Suryakumar and Salman turned heads by not engaging in the traditional handshake during the toss. During the toss, neither skipper maintained eye contact nor tried to initiate a handshake and eschewed the gesture.

Even after the game, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube returned to the dressing room while Pakistan waited to shake hands. India's stance was linked to the strained relations between the two nations in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, during which 26 tourists were killed on April 22 by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the name of religion.

The entire decision led to a handshake row with Pakistan putting the whole blame on match referee Andy Pycroft. The off-field drama served as the buildup for the Super Fours clash, and the tempers flared on the field. Shades of Aamer Sohail going up against Venkatesh Prasad in 1996 echoed decades later at the Dubai International Stadium after Gill had a go at Shaheen, who just turned back and walked off.

On the final delivery of the third over, Gill ambled down the track and targeted extra-cover to pick up a four. In the aftermath of the shot, Gill looked at Shaheen and pointed with his hand where the ball went. The tension boiled over in the final ball of the fifth over.

Gill flawlessly executed a short-arm jab to send the ball racing away for a four. After the end of the over, Abhishek and Rauf got into a fierce exchange, which forced Umpire Gazi Sohel to get involved and separate the two. The little brawl fuelled India as the clobbered Pakistan bowlers ruthlessly and stood triumphant with a six-wicket victory, extending the win streak to four in the ongoing tournament. (ANI)

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