India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha grabbed the spotlight at the Asia Cup 2025 captains' meet in Dubai on Tuesday (September 9), as speculation over the two skipping a handshake went viral on social media.

The continental showpiece is being held in the aftermath of heightened tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack and the retaliatory Operation Sindoor.

Although both Suryakumar and Salman maintained a composed demeanour at the press conference, a journalist named Rituraj Borkakoty has claimed that Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was deliberately seated between them. It was a telling move reflecting the geopolitical sensitivities between India and Pakistan

Speaking on Sports Today, Borkakoty, who is covering the Asia Cup for Khaleej Times, revealed that the seating arrangement was not spontaneous but reportedly done on request by the authorities.

"So I noticed that the Indian captain was not sitting next to the Pakistan captain because Rashid Khan, the Afghanistan captain, was sitting between Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha, the Pakistan captain," Borkakoty said.

When asked whether it was a planned arrangement, the journalist added, "Well, that's what struck me as well. I tried to speak to somebody from the Emirates Cricket Board, but they are not the hosts — they are just organising it. They refused to say anything officially, but they just told me that they have been asked to keep the two captains separate. So that's why maybe it was arranged in a way that, you know, Rashid Khan was in between Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha."

BCCI is the original host of the tournament, but cross-border tensions forced the Asian Cricket Council to change the venue to the UAE.

The arch-rivals are slated to square off on September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium in a Group A fixture. They might face each other thrice in the marquee event, provided both teams make it to the Super 4s and final.