Jeddah: Veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik and former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan shared a warm hug after Pakistan’s win over India in the F2 double-wicket match at the World Cricket Festival in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
A highlight video of the clash showed players from both sides shaking hands and exchanging high-fives, with Malik and Irfan hugging.
A tale of sportsmanship between India and Pakistan marked by high-profile controversies in cricket, the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 contrasted with India captain Suryakumar Yadav notably avoiding shaking hands with Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha.
The tension that started in the group-stage clash of the Asia Cup continued into the Super Four, where India beat Pakistan in the final but did not personally accept the trophy from PCB president and ACC president Mohsin Naqvi.
Similar incidents were reported in the Women’s World Cup clash between the two sides, including the Hong Kong Super Sixes, where key ACC events such as handshakes and courtesies were allegedly ignored.
Tensions further escalated when India boycotted playing against Pakistan in the second season of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), refusing to face them in both the group stage and semi-finals.
Batting first, Pakistan scored 56-4 in four overs with Malik scoring 34 and Imran Naseer scoring 16. In reply, India were restricted to 51-4, well short of the target.
The win was Pakistan’s third win in the series. Earlier, they thrashed UAE for 82-1 in four overs thanks to an aggressive innings by Malik and Naseer, while UAE lost all six wickets.
Against Sri Lanka, Lankan Lions scored 75-3 but Pakistan chased it down to 99-0 with ease, led by Malik’s exceptional 56-run innings and Naseer’s crucial 30.
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