IND vs PAK: Suryakumar Yadav avoids handshake with Pakistan captain Salman Agha in T20 World Cup 2026
India captain Suryakumar Yadav once again denied shaking hands with Pakistan players. During the toss, he avoided Salman Agha, continuing the tradition set in the Asia Cup 2025. Meanwhile, Pakistan have opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
Suryakumar Yadav once again declined to shake hands with the Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, during the high-voltage clash at the T20 World Cup 2026. The controversy had first surfaced during the Asia Cup 2025, when the Indian team refrained from interacting or exchanging handshakes with their Pakistan counterparts after the match. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Suryakumar reiterated the team’s position in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.
In the lead-up to the T20 World Cup encounter, the handshake issue resurfaced. On the eve of the match, Suryakumar responded with a hint of mischief, asking fans to wait and watch. “You will see in 24 hours. Wait for 24 hours. Eat well, sleep well, we will see tomorrow,” he had said.
Leading up to the match, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar condemned India’s act, calling it a silly thing. He advised India to either completely avoid playing matches against Pakistan or follow the protocols.
"This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all," Manjrekar wrote on X.
Pakistan win toss, elect to field
At the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bowl first. Agha explained that the conditions is likely to assist the bowlers in the early overs and the team wants to take advantage of that.
Suryakumar, however, was unfazed as he revealed that he was happy batting first. The Mumbai batter added that had he won the toss, he would have opted to bat first. The Men in Blue, in the meantime, have made two changes to the playing XI, as Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav returned to the playing XI, replacing Sanju Samson and Arshdeep Singh.