India Stick To ‘No-Handshake’ Policy Against Pakistan In U19 Asia Cup Despite Alleged ICC Request
The Indian cricket team continued their ‘no-handshake policy’ against Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup 2025 despite alleged request from International Cricket Council (ICC). A report by PTI claimed that the ICC wanted politics to be kept away from the U19 competition and even requested for the handshakes to take place. In the past, Indian players did not shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts in the senior men’s Asia Cup, Women’s ODI World Cup and the Rising Stars Asia Cup T20 competition. The trend continued on Sunday during the U19 Asia Cup Group A match when the India captain Ayush Mhatre did not shake hands with Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf after the toss.
Earlier, PTI said that the ICC said that if India did not want to shake hands with Pakistan, they will have to inform the match referee in advance.
“The boys haven’t been told anything. But obviously BCCI has given explicit instructions to its manager Anand Datar. Now if Indian boys don’t shake hands with Pakistan team then match referee will have to be informed in advance.”
“We know for a fact that ICC doesn’t want politics to take front seat when it comes to junior cricket. So it is a case of both bad optics and public sentiment,” a BCCI official in the know of things told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Coming to the match, Yousaf won the toss and decided to bowl first against India.
The high-voltage match between India U19 and Pakistan U19 was reduced to 49 overs per side due to rain.
The Ayush Mhatre-led India U19 came into this contest after registering a massive 234-run win in their first fixture against the UAE on December 12.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi was named Player of the Match for his blistering 171-run knock off 95 deliveries, including nine fours and 14 sixes. His knock helped India U19 to post a mammoth 433/6 in 50 overs. In response, UAE 19 were restricted to 199/7 and lost the one-sided match.
Pakistan U19, on the other hand, thrashed Malaysia U19 by 297 runs in their opening fixture. Sameer Minhas was named Player of the Match for his fantastic unbeaten knock of 177 runs off 148 balls, with the help of 11 fours and eight sixes.
Sameer Minhas’ knock helped Pakistan U19 post 345/3 in 50 overs. In response, Malaysia U19 were bundled out for just 48 runs after Mohammad Sayyam and Ali Raza bagged three wickets each.
(With agency inputs)
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