Once again, the geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan has found a way to manifest itself outside the cricket field. Recently, Pakistan’s T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, was the one to reveal Team India’s decision of a “no-handshake” policy during their very tense matches. In a conversation on an ARY podcast along with his teammate Hasan Ali, Agha showed his shock at the degree of the snub, remembering how the customary post-match greetings were not done even at the T20 World Cup 2026 and the last Asia Cup 2025.
“Friend, This Handshake Will Not Happen”: Salman Ali Agha’s Shocking Revelation
Salman Ali Agha shared the behind-the-scenes details of how the match officials handled the situation before the toss. According to the Pakistan skipper, while handshakes had occurred during the initial trophy photoshoot and pre-tournament press conferences, the atmosphere shifted drastically on the day of the match.
“Before the match, there was a press conference and a trophy shoot, and there was a handshake there too. So when I was going for the toss, I was pretty normal. I had an idea that things wouldn’t be entirely normal, but I didn’t think it would escalate this far,” Agha stated.
He further revealed that the match referee took him aside just before the toss to deliver the news. “The referee said, ‘Friend, this handshake will not happen like this, so please see to it.’ I told him that I also have no interest in shaking hands if they are not willing,” he added.
The Post-Match Snub and Dressing Room Lockout
The controversy didn’t end with the toss. After Pakistan lost the clash, Agha mentioned that his team attempted to follow the customary etiquette by heading toward the Indian pavilion for the post-match handshakes. However, they were met with a closed-door policy.
“They told me in advance that there was no handshake. After the match ended and we lost, we were heading to their pavilion for a handshake, but they still didn’t shake hands,” Agha remarked. Reports also suggest that the Pakistan team found the Indian dressing room doors shut when they attempted to visit, a move linked to India’s firm “business as usual is not possible” stance following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.
