Pakistan captain says it’s up to India to decide whether to shake hands in cricket clash

Pakistan’s captain has said he will leave it up to India’s players to decide if they shake hands with his team before and after their T20 World Cup match.

It comes amid political and military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours who were on the brink of all-out war in May 2025.

Sunday’s cricket match in Colombo, Sri Lanka, will be the first time the teams have met since an acrimonious clash last September at the Asia Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates, won by India.

On that occasion, players refused to shake hands.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said: “The game should be played in real spirit, the way it has been played since it started.

“The rest is up to them (India), what they want to do.”

He added: We are here to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls tomorrow. We will see tomorrow (Sunday).”

Heightened tensions mean the two sides have not played a bilateral series in years.

Last May, the two nations clashed in the worst fighting in decades after a terror attack in India-administered Kashmir killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists.

Days of missile strikes between the countries followed, until a ceasefire was brokered by the US administration.

Pakistan’s government threatened to boycott Sunday’s match after Bangladesh were kicked out of the World Cup for refusing to play matches in India, citing security concerns.

It was only after intense discussions with the International Cricket Council that Pakistan finally agreed.

India have not travelled to Pakistan since 2008 and Pakistan visited India for the 50-over World Cup in 2023 but have since played ICC tournaments at neutral venues.

India has defeated Pakistan 12 times in the 16 T20 games they have played.

“We don’t have a good record against them in World Cups,” Agha added.

“But whenever you come to play a new match, it’s a new day and you have to play good cricket to win.

“You can’t change history. You can learn from it.”