India defeated Pakistan in the Junior Davis Cup on May 24, blanking their arch-rivals 2-0 in the U16 tournament. Playing in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, India’s Prkaash Sarran and Tavish Pahwa won their singles matches in the super tie-break, securing a dominant win for the team.
Controversy erupted three days after the match, as a video from the game went viral online. In the clip, a Pakistani player is seen shaking hands in an unsportsmanlike manner with an Indian player. After the loss, the Pakistani U16 player appeared to take a swipe at the Indian junior star. Initially failing to connect in the handshake, he repeated the action—this time making contact—only to abruptly shake off the Indian player’s hand in a disrespectful gesture.
The Indian player remained composed and did not retaliate, displaying maturity beyond his years.
It’s unclear why the Pakistani player behaved in this manner. Relations between the two countries have been tense in recent times. Tensions flared along the India-Pakistan border following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 people.
In response, India launched Operation Sindoor—precision strikes targeting nine terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The government emphasised that the strikes were “measured, focused, and non-escalatory,” targeting only non-military sites.
Pakistan launched an attack on India with missile and drone attacks across the country’s western border, prompting a counterattack from India. For three days, uncertainty loomed in the border regions until a ceasefire deal was reached on May 10.
