Team India registered a commanding seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2025 clash 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.

Speaking to ANI, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan addressed the handshake controversy, emphasizing the alignment between cricketers, the BCCI, and the Indian government.

"The cricketers, BCCI and the government of India are aligned. Everything runs in the alignment of the situation and it is also an individual decision," Pathan said.

While the handshake row became the talk of the town, Pathan stressed that India team’s performance on the field was the bigger story.

"Indian team is playing very well. All controversy is on one hand and the way the Indian team is moving ahead is on the other," he added.

The high-stake clash started with captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha making no handshake at the toss. However, the main 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 captain Agha 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.

The handshake gate certainly hurt the Pakistan cricket team’s ego, prompting the management to officially lodge a complaint against the Indian team's gesture, saying they were against "the spirit of sports".

According to reports, the PCB has also threatened to pull out of the eight-team tournament if its demand for match referee Andy Pycroft’s removal is not fulfilled.