DUBAI: The handshake controversy reignited after Indian skipper Ayush Madre did not give the customary handshake to Pakistan skipper Farhan Yousuf during the toss for the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 at the ICC Academy on Sunday.
After a 45-minute delay due to light rain, the two captains came to the center for the coin toss and stood next to each other but did not interact.
Pakistan captain Farhan won the toss and elected to field first before passing the microphone to his Indian rival Ayush, but the customary handshake between the two captains was absent.
The latest incident is reminiscent of when a similar situation unfolded a few months ago during the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai.
The senior teams of India and Pakistan met three times during that tournament, and on each occasion, the toss and post-match handshakes were notably avoided by the players.
During the group-stage match on September 14, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refrained from the traditional handshake.
The second incident happened during the Super Four clash on September 21, when Suryakumar again refused to engage in the gesture.
Things escalated after India’s Super Four win, when Suryakumar—who had hit the winning runs—left the field with teammate Shivam Dubey without congratulating the Pakistan players.
The Pakistan team stood on the field expecting the customary post-match handshake, but the Indian side instead went straight to their dressing room.
The controversy is not limited to men’s events. A similar situation recently occurred at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where the captains of the two teams, Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana, avoided shaking hands at the toss.
After India’s victory, the Indian women’s team celebrated among themselves and went straight to the dressing room, skipping the traditional gesture with the Pakistan players.