Asia Cup drama overshadows India’s win over Pakistan

India’s commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup T20 on Sunday has been overshadowed by a controversy surrounding the post-match handshake — or lack of it.

Played at the Dubai International Stadium, the high-voltage clash initially appeared to be about cricketing supremacy. Pakistan, having won the toss and opted to bat, crumbled under India’s disciplined bowling.

Their innings ended at a modest 128 for 9, with Sahibzada Farhan’s 40 and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late 33* providing the only sparks. Kuldeep Yadav starred with three wickets, while Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy kept the pressure on.

India’s chase was brisk and clinical. Despite losing openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill early, the target was never in doubt. Suryakumar Yadav (26*) and Shivam Dube (22*) steered the side home with 25 balls to spare, extending India’s dominance over their rivals to an 11–3 record in T20 internationals.

But the cricketing result was soon eclipsed by off-field drama. At the conclusion of the match, Indian players, led by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, refused to engage in the customary handshake with their Pakistani counterparts. The gesture — or its absence — sparked immediate backlash.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a formal complaint with match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging that Pycroft himself had asked the captains at the toss to avoid handshakes. Pycroft has yet to respond, leaving questions unanswered and tensions high between the two sides.

While India prepares to face Oman on Saturday, and Pakistan lines up against the UAE on Thursday, the handshake controversy threatens to linger far longer than the match result itself — a reminder that in South Asia’s fiercest sporting rivalry, what happens off the field can be as explosive as what happens on it.