A new video shows Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha shaking hands and hugging India’s Suryakumar Yadav after the Asia Cup presser, reversing the no-handshake narrative.
No-Handshake Controversy Clarified: India-Pakistan Captains’ Gesture Sparks Fresh Perspective
What initially appeared as a frosty face-off between India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha has taken a new turn. Hours after social media buzzed over the ‘no-handshake’ moment during the Asia Cup 2025 captains’ press conference in Dubai, a new clip surfaced on X, offering a different perspective.
After the pre-tournament press conference featuring captains of all eight participating teams, Salman hurried off the stage along with the Hong Kong and Oman skippers. Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, lingered on stage and engaged in a brief chat with the UAE, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh captains, exchanging handshakes and hugs before leaving.
While the initial visuals triggered social media discussion amid rising India-Pakistan tensions since the Pahalgam attack in April, the new video shows Salman realizing the optics, waiting by the exit, and offering Suryakumar Yadav a handshake and a brief hug before leaving.
Another image later showed the India captain greeting PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, further dispelling the narrative of cold vibes between the two camps. Naqvi’s handshake was in his capacity as ACC chairman, following the customary pre-presser photoshoot with all captains, including Suryakumar.
Indian Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan Captain Salman Agha..(This video is for those saying that the Pakistan captain wasn't sitting next to the Indian players and they didn’t even shake hands)pic.twitter.com/76CSDcJIQW
— Sporttify (@sporttify) September 9, 2025
— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) September 9, 2025
India vs Pakistan on September 14
India, the defending champions and reigning T20 World Cup winners, will kick off their Asia Cup campaign against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday. Pakistan, meanwhile, fresh off a T20I tri-series victory over Afghanistan in the UAE, will open against Oman on Friday. The two arch-rivals are then set to clash on September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium in their Group A encounter.
For India, the tournament is a crucial dress rehearsal ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in February. Under Gautam Gambhir’s guidance, the team aims to find a settled winning combination and stamp his philosophy on the squad. It also marks a new era in Indian T20 cricket, being their first major tournament since the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli following the 2024 World Cup in Barbados.