Team India continued their dominance in the ongoing Asia Cup as they registered a thumping seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (September 14).

However, what dominated headlines wasn’t just the result. It was the refusal of Suryakumar Yadav and his troops to engage in the customary handshake with their Pakistani counterparts both before and after the contest.

In the post-match presentation, the Indian captain dedicated the win to the country’s armed forces and said the national team stood in solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

The game was held amidst heightened tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam episode and the retaliatory Operation Sindoor.

The BCCI went ahead with the fixture after the Indian government gave the green light to participate in the continental event. In August, the Sports Ministry allowed India to compete against Pakistan in multi-team events, but maintained the ban on bilateral cricket.

Meanwhile, former cricketer Suresh Raina has stirred a controversy, claiming that not a single Indian player was willing to face Pakistan or even take part in the Asia Cup, and that they are doing so only under directives from the top.

"I know one thing for sure. If you personally ask the players, none of them wants to play the Asia Cup. In a way, they are forced because the BCCI has agreed to it. I am sad that India are playing against Pakistan, but I can also say for a fact that if Suryakumar Yadav and his players are asked about their personal opinions about playing against Pakistan, they would have said no. None of them wanted to play," Raina was quoted as saying by Sports Tak.

The game started with captains Suryakumar and Salman Ali Agha making no handshake at the toss. However, this wasn't considered a big deal as the Indian skipper had also not shaken hands with the UAE captain Muhammad Waseem.

However, drama unfolded after Suryakumar hit the winning six. He and Shivam Dube charged into the dressing room without shaking hands with the Pakistan players.

At first, it seemed that even the Men in Green were not interested in offering the handshake. But things took a turn when the entire Pakistan lineup, led by Salman and coach Mike Hesson, approached the Indian dressing room, waiting for the customary handshakes. Soon, the Indian camp shut the door, firmly closing any chance of exchanging post-match pleasantries.

India and Pakistan might face each other twice more in the multilateral tournament, given that both teams qualify for Super 4s and final.