India’s Suryakumar Yadav talks to Shivam Dube throughout Asia Cup 2025 conflict at Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE, September 14, 2025. — Reuters
India and Pakistan conflict once more within the Asia Cup on Sunday, renewing considered one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries per week after their final match was overshadowed by a handshake row.
India received the September 14 group match by seven wickets in Dubai and afterwards refused to shake arms with their opponents, angering Pakistan.
It was the primary assembly between the neighbours since a four-day armed battle in Might left greater than 70 folks lifeless.
The Pakistan Cricket Board lodged a protest with the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC), saying that match referee Andy Pycroft had instructed skipper Salman Agha to not strategy Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake on the toss.
The PCB demanded that Pycroft be faraway from their matches and threatened to withdraw from the eight-team T20I competitors.
Their final group recreation was held up for an hour earlier than the PCB stated Pycroft had apologised, and the match, with the Zimbabwean in cost, finally went forward.
Pakistan beat the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, to qualify for the following stage, the Tremendous Fours, and arrange one other assembly with India in Dubai.
Indian media reported that the crew plans to stay to its no-handshake coverage for Sunday’s conflict.
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav (left) and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha after toss throughout Asia Cup 2025 conflict at Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE, September 14, 2025. — X@fad08
India spinner Kuldeep Yadav sought to defuse the controversy.
“When you step onto the field, it’s just a batter in front of you. I have always approached it this way against Pakistan,” he stated forward of India’s final group recreation, in opposition to Oman on Friday.
Agha additionally caught to sports activities.
“If we play good cricket like we have played in the last few months, I think we’ll be good against any side,” the Pakistan captain instructed reporters.
Simmering tensions
Due to fraught political ties, nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan solely meet at impartial venues throughout multi-team tournaments.
Tensions soared forward of the Asia Cup after the 2 international locations engaged of their worst battle since 1999. The hostilities in Might left greater than 70 folks lifeless in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, earlier than a ceasefire.
The battle was triggered by an April assault on civilians in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing, a cost Islamabad denies.
India resisted calls to boycott the primary Pakistan match.
A possible third India-Pakistan showdown looms if each side qualify for the ultimate on September 28 in Dubai.
India lifted the Asia Cup in its final, 50-over version and are favourites to retain the crown.
India and Pakistan superior to the following stage from Group A, whereas Sri Lanka and Bangladesh certified from Group B.
Sri Lanka face Bangladesh on Saturday within the first Tremendous Fours fixture.
Sri Lanka, unbeaten to this point, look harmful whereas Bangladesh carry the underdog tag beneath skipper Litton Das.
Together with regional bragging rights, the Asia Cup serves as build-up in the direction of the T20 World Cup in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.
