No Handshake in Cricket: How India Turned Sport into Hostility
By: Sports Friend, Shahid Ulhaq
No Handshake in Cricket: How India Turned Sport into Hostility
By: Sports Friend, Shahid Ulhaq
The Sanctity of Sports Undermined ;
Much has been said about Pakistan’s defeat against India, but the real question lies in the behavior of the Indian team. Refusing the traditional post-match handshake was not just stubbornness—it was a direct blow to the very spirit of sports. This act was nothing short of a denial of sportsmanship.
History and Importance of the Handshake ;
The handshake is a tradition dating back centuries. In ancient Greece and Rome, it symbolized peace—proof that no weapons were held in hand. In modern sports, it represents mutual respect, sportsmanship, and unity.
The Olympic Charter itself emphasizes that the goal of sport is not merely competition but to promote friendship and fraternity among nations.
That is why players shake hands after every game: to send the message that winning and losing are secondary to respect and harmony. By breaking this tradition, India has inscribed a dark chapter in the history of sport.
Dubai Asia Cup 2025 — The “No Handshake” Controversy ;
On September 14, 2025, following the Asia Cup match in Dubai, controversy erupted when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav openly admitted that his team had deliberately decided not to shake hands with Pakistan’s players.
According to Indian media, this was not a spontaneous decision but a policy dictated by the Indian government. Yadav even called the win a “perfect reply” to Pakistan.
Al Jazeera reported that the Indian captain linked this action to the four-day border clash in May that nearly pushed both nations to war. In other words, sport was misused as an extension of political conflict—turning the arena of peace into a stage for hostility.
India’s negative attitude was not confined to the field. In fact, the official account of Indian cricket was also suspended on X (Twitter) for violating platform rules. This is clear evidence that India is using cricket as a tool for propaganda and political hatred rather than for the spirit of sport.
Questions That Must Be Asked ;
How could the Asian Cricket Council’s chairman—who also happens to be the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board—allow this to happen? Will the ACC and ICC remain silent? Will our own cricket board lodge a protest with the ICC? Or will the institutions of sport bow down to political pressure at the cost of sportsmanship?
India’s actions must be exposed. Time and again, it has boycotted games in Pakistan, denied visas to Pakistani athletes, and weaponized cricket against peace. True sport is about respect and brotherhood. A country that replaces this philosophy with hatred and political stubbornness has no place on the global sports map.
A Call for Accountability ;
I urge Pakistan’s decision-makers and power brokers to raise this issue at the international level. It is time to push diplomatically to exclude India from hosting or even bidding for the 2036 Olympics. A nation that brings enmity, hatred, and extremism into sports cannot be trusted with the stewardship of global events. India’s actions deserve to be labeled what they truly are: “Sports Terrorism.”
Time for Reform in Pakistan Too ;
Cricket must be handed back to cricketers. The system requires fundamental reform, where qualified professionals—not imported bureaucrats or politically appointed “robots”—run the game. The practice of controlling cricket through bureaucratic and political appointments must end now.
Pakistan’s defeat against India was one of the worst performances in history, a mirror held up to our administrators. The team’s display was poor enough, but for the PCB chairman, the real lesson is this: let sports be run by professionals, or Pakistan will continue to face global embarrassment.
By: Sports Friend, Shahid Ulhaq ; Senior Sports Journalist & Vlogger | Former National Player & Fitness Coach | Sports Philanthropist
