Suryakumar Yadav yet again snubs handshake with Salman Ali Agha at India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash

T20 WC, IND vs PAK: The status quo remains. Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha did not shake hands at the toss.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha did not shake hands with each other at the toss ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A fixture between the two teams at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. Ahead of the high-profile clash, there was widespread curiosity over whether the two rivals would exchange pleasantries, especially after tempers flared during the Asia Cup. The status quo remained, however, as Suryakumar refrained from shaking hands with his Pakistan counterpart.

Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha did not shake hands at the toss. (PTI)

At the toss, the two captains didn't even exchange eye contact, and the duo maintained their distance. Pakistan captain Agha spoke first as he won the coin flip and opted to bowl first. However, after speaking to the broadcaster, he went his own way without exchanging a handshake with Suryakumar.

Earlier, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar criticised Suryakumar-led India for not shaking hands with Pakistan, saying one should either play the sport in the right spirit or not play at all. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) hours before the India-Pakistan clash in Colombo.

On Saturday, during the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar remained tight-lipped, refusing to clarify his team’s stance on handshakes. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Agha said he hoped the game would be played in the right spirit, but added that the decision ultimately rests with India.

Last year, there was considerable bad blood between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup, with the three matches coming just months after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. In the first group-stage fixture at the Dubai International Stadium, Indian players declined the customary post-match handshakes, and the dressing room door was reportedly shut when the Pakistan contingent approached to exchange pleasantries.

The episode did not go down well with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), triggering a standoff between Mohsin Naqvi and the ICC. Naqvi sought the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging that he had failed to uphold the spirit of the game, but the request was rejected. The remaining matches between India and Pakistan followed a similar pattern, with Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan also making objectionable gestures.

The no-handshake policy between India and Pakistan was subsequently followed at the Women’s World Cup 2025, the U19 Asia Cup, the Rising Stars Asia Cup and the U19 World Cup.

Why doesn't a no-handshake come as a surprise?

The no-handshake between the India and Pakistan captains comes as little surprise, given the recent strain in relations between the two countries. Just two weeks before the start of the T20 World Cup, the Government of Pakistan announced that the men’s team would not be permitted to take the field against India, a move aimed at showing solidarity with Bangladesh after they were removed from the tournament and replaced by Scotland.

Eight days later, however, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, reversed the decision, granting the team permission to play against India. The announcement came minutes after the ICC confirmed that no sanctions would be imposed on Bangladesh for missing the 20-team event.

A day before the final call, a meeting was held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore between a two-member ICC delegation, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, and BCB president Aminul Islam.