India and Pakistan’s strained relationship extended to the Under-19 Asia Cup on Sunday at the ICC Academy Ground, where both teams maintained India’s no-handshake policy during their group-stage meeting.
India captain Ayush Mhatre upheld the stance, with neither he nor Pakistan skipper Farhan Yousuf offering a handshake at the toss. Pakistan won the toss and elected to field, after which both captains gave their brief remarks to the presenter and returned to their dressing rooms without making eye contact.
The incident follows similar scenes earlier this year after a serious escalation in tensions between the two countries in May. During the senior men’s Asia Cup, India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Pakistan’s Salman Agha, with the gesture avoided in three separate encounters between the sides. After defeating Pakistan in the final, India also declined to collect the trophy from PCB and ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi, while the Asian Cricket Council chief refused to present it. India have yet to receive the trophy, with both boards still working towards a resolution.
The same approach was seen at the women’s World Cup, where India captain Harmanpreet Kaur did not shake hands with Pakistan’s Fatima Sana, reinforcing the distance between the two nations even on the cricket field.
India and Pakistan entered the youth tournament in strong form. India began their campaign with a 234-run victory over the United Arab Emirates, while Pakistan opened with a 297-run win against Malaysia.
