Pakistan players Shaheen Afridi and Usman Tariq reportedly waited to shake hands with the Indian team following their defeat in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixture at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in the Group A fixture on Sunday, 15 February, extending their dominance over their arch-rivals in recent times.
While the match made headlines for India’s outstanding on-field performance, the team’s continuing ‘no handshake’ policy against Pakistan was also evident during the fixture, as captain Suryakumar Yadav maintained the status quo with his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha at the toss. At the end of the contest as well, Indian players did not engage in the customary handshakes with their opponents following their commanding victory.
However, a video from the match shows Pakistan’s last batting pair, Usman Tariq and Shaheen Afridi, reportedly waiting for the Indian players to walk towards them for the post-match custom. In the viral clip, the two players can be seen turning towards their Indian counterparts, who were busy congratulating each other on the win.
The Pakistan pair waited for a few seconds before eventually making their way back to the pavilion. India Today could not verify whether the Pakistan players were specifically waiting to engage in handshakes or whether they had paused for another reason.
What’s India’s no-handshake policy?
India have maintained a no-handshake policy with Pakistan since the Asia Cup 2025 across all age groups in both men’s and women’s cricket. The move came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, and the subsequent Operation Sindoor conducted by the Indian Armed Forces.
However, the no-handshake policy is limited to cricket and kabaddi, as the two nations have continued the long-standing sporting custom in other disciplines such as hockey and tennis.
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