The boycott chatter might be a thing of the past, but everyone is waiting to see whether the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A contest between India and Pakistan witnesses handshakes between the players from both teams. Just last year, the two traditional rivals played three matches against each other in the Men's Asia Cup, and plenty of bad blood was on display as the games were played against the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The controversy erupted after the group-stage game, when the Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistan players.
The stance was then followed in the next two games. The same was replicated in the Women's World Cup, the U19 Asia Cup, the U19 World Cup and the Rising Stars Asia Cup. Now everyone is waiting to see what happens when the two teams take the field at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
On the eve of the game, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha was asked about the same, and he gave a pointed answer, saying it is up to India whether they want to play the game with the right spirit.
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“The game should be played in the same spirit. And what I expect, obviously, does not matter. But I feel that the game should be played the same way as it has been since the beginning of cricket. And the rest is up to them and whatever they want to do," Agha told reporters during the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
{{/usCountry}}“The game should be played in the same spirit. And what I expect, obviously, does not matter. But I feel that the game should be played the same way as it has been since the beginning of cricket. And the rest is up to them and whatever they want to do," Agha told reporters during the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
{{/usCountry}}When another question was asked whether there would be handshakes, Agha replied, “You will find out about that tomorrow.”
Last year, a huge row erupted after the Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistan contingent after the Asia Cup game. This ruffled feathers within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the PCB officially complained to the International Cricket Council (ICC) about match referee Andy Pycroft, who it said failed to uphold the spirit of the game.
The PCB demanded an apology from Pycroft, and the game against the UAE was delayed by 1 hour as the Pakistan board was engaged in back-channel talks with the ICC. The PCB then shared a video of Pycroft speaking to the team manager and head coach Mike Hesson about the incident.
The game against the UAE and Pakistan did get underway. However, the on-field issues between India and Pakistan continued.
‘Can’t change history'
Heading into the T20 World Cup Group A match against India, the odds are heavily stacked against Pakistan, considering the head-to-head record between the two teams in the tournament. In the competition, the two teams have squared off eight times, with India winning seven of those matches. The lone victory for Pakistan came in 2021 when the side led by Babar Azam thrashed India by ten wickets.
“We do not have a good record against India, but we can't change history. Every day is a new day,” Agha said.
“The magnitude of this game is always big. We were always prepared for all kinds of scenarios (when asked whether the boycott impacted Pakistan's performance),” he added.
According to reports, the upcoming marquee match is likely to be attended by ICC chairman Jay Shah and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, Aminul Islam, is also expected to make his presence felt.