India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup, but the result was overshadowed by political tension as Indian players went directly into their dressing room, closed the door and refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel starred with the ball, taking five wickets between them to restrict Pakistan to 127-9 in Dubai. Kuldeep was named Player of the Match after returning figures of 3-18. Pakistan’s batting struggled against spin, with only Sahibzada Farhan offering resistance with 40 runs, before late hitting from Shaheen Shah Afridi (33 not out) pushed the total beyond 120.
India’s chase was swift. Abhishek Sharma blazed 31 off 13 balls before Suryakumar Yadav anchored the innings with an unbeaten 47, supported by Tilak Varma’s 31. India sealed victory with 25 balls to spare.
But the defining moment came immediately after the winning six. Rather than the usual post-match handshakes, the Indian players walked off, filed straight into their dressing room, and closed the door behind them. In the post-match press conference, captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was “in alignment with the BCCI and the government” and that the win was dedicated to the Indian armed forces. “We stand with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and we express our solidarity,” he said.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha did not attend the post-match ceremony in reaction. Coach Mike Hesson said his team had been ready to shake hands but “that obviously didn’t happen”.
The refusal follows heightened tensions after cross-border clashes earlier this year which left more than 70 people dead. India resisted calls to boycott the Asia Cup fixture, but the gesture in Dubai made clear that the political situation continues to overshadow cricket between the two nations.
India now top their group with two wins from two and face Oman next, while Pakistan will play the UAE. Both remain in contention for the Super Fours stage.
