The captains of India and Pakistan were evasive on Saturday on whether their teams would shake hands before or after their intense T20 World Cup match in Colombo on Sunday, leaving the topic at the top of everyone’s mind unresolved.
“Wait for 24 hours,” smiled Suryakumar Yadav. Salman Ali Agha, his counterpart, repeated, “Wait till tomorrow.”
Since the Asia Cup in Dubai last year, which was hosted in the wake of the Pahalgam attacks and the Indian Armed Forces’ subsequent Operation Sindoor, India cricketers have ceased shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
Regarding the handshake, Surya, in his distinctive manner, flashed a toothy smile and said, “Now wait for 24 hours for that. Why put so much focus on that? We have come to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls later tomorrow. Wait for it. Eat well and go to sleep.”
“We will see about it tomorrow,” Agha said in a cryptic response when asked if he would shake hands during Saturday’s pre-match press conference.
Agha was adamant, meanwhile, that the “Spirit of the Game” must always be respected.
“Cricket should be played in (right) spirit. My personal opinion may not matter. But cricket should be played according to how it has always been meant to be played. It’s up to them to decide what to do,” Agha added.
It has been learnt that the Indian camp’s overall attitude ahead of Sunday’s match at the Premadasa has also been more cautious than optimistic, with senior authorities making the final decision and following their instructions. However, because the feelings surrounding the Pahalgam incident are still raw, there is considerable caution about public reaction on social media about the Indian team, which might be harsh.
