During the Asia Cup 2025 in UAE, the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side refrained from shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts as the games were played amidst heightened tensions between two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack and retaliatory Operation Sindoor.

The arch-rivals faced each other thrice in the continental event and India emerged victorious on all occasions, including the title clash. In all three meetings, the Men in Blue refused to shake hands and exchange post-match pleasantries with the Pakistan players, who also engaged in provocative gestures on the field.

Seven months later, Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha addressed the handshake row, saying that he expected things to remain normal having earlier shaken hands with Suryakumar during the pre-tournament press conference and at the trophy photoshoot.

Agha also revealed how the information regarding no-handshake between the two captains was passed on to him right before the toss.

"I went for the toss. Before that, there was a press conference. There was a shake-hand, trophy shoot, there was a handshake. When I was going for the toss, I was pretty normal. Obviously, I had an idea that it wouldn't be that normal, but I didn't know there would be no handshake. I didn't have that idea," Agha said while speaking on ARY Podcast.

"I went for the toss with our media manager, Naeem Bhai. The match referee, I don't remember his name, he took me aside and said, 'We're going to do it like this. There won't be a handshake.' So, please look at that. I said, 'It's fine if there's not going to be a handshake. I am not too keen either.' So, this is what happened. He told me beforehand that there won't be a handshake," he added.

Agha also recalled how he took the entire Pakistani team to the Indian dressing room after the end of the match, only to find the door shut.

"After that, the match ended. We lost the match. We were going to their pavilion (dressing room) for the handshake. They still didn't do the handshake," he stated.

Salman Ali Agha reiterated that Team India’s act was against the sportsmanship spirit, and expressed concern that such behavior by role models sends a bad message to budding cricketers.

"And I've said it many times, I don't think this is right. Because if we're representing a nation, and I play for Pakistan, people look at me, and the kids will pick up on that. And if this happens in a club game the next day, it will be because of me at the end of the day. Because I'm also a part of it. So, when you're a role model, then I don't think it's a good thing to do," he remarked.

The no-handshake policy continued when India and Pakistan squared off in the Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year in Colombo.