On the eve of Sunday’s highly anticipated Asia Cup final, Pakistan captain Salman Agha finally broke his silence on the swirling “handshake controversy.” The issue first ignited after India’s group-stage victory over Pakistan on September 14, when Indian players and support staff opted not to exchange customary post-match greetings with the Pakistani team, a stance maintained during their second Super Four encounter.
“I began my professional cricket journey in 2007 at the under-16 level, and never once have I witnessed two teams refuse to shake hands after a match,” the 31-year-old middle-order batsman stated during Saturday’s pre-match press conference.
“My father, a lifelong cricket enthusiast, has also never recounted such an incident. India and Pakistan have faced each other countless times before, and even when tensions were high, handshakes remained a fundamental part of our cricketing tradition. It’s truly detrimental to the spirit of the game when handshakes are withheld.”
This Asia Cup tournament has unfortunately seen more dramatic off-field moments than gripping on-field action. Adding to the friction, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan drew criticism for “provocative gestures” during the last India-Pakistan clash. Farhan celebrated his half-century with a distinct machine-gun gesture, while Rauf mimed shooting down an aircraft while fielding near the boundary.
When questioned about a captain’s responsibility to curb such displays in Sunday’s final, Agha responded: “Every player understands how to manage their emotions. I empower my players to express themselves as long as their actions do not show disrespect towards anyone. Within those boundaries, I have no issue with aggression, whether it comes from our team or our opponents.”