Sanjay Manjrekar Calls India’s No-Handshake Policy Against Pakistan “Silly”

Sanjay Manjrekar criticised India’s no-handshake policy against Pakistan, calling it against the spirit of cricket.

Hours before the Group A match between India and Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, attention has shifted to whether captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha will shake hands at the toss. The issue follows tensions during the Asia Cup 2025, where the teams met three times and avoided handshakes. Those matches took place after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Ahead of the T20 World Cup fixture, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar criticised India’s the no-handshake stance. He stated that such actions do not reflect the spirit of cricket and urged teams to uphold sportsmanship.

“This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all,” Manjrekar wrote on X.

This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 15, 2026

Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav faced questions about a possible handshake at the toss. He avoided a direct reply and asked fans to wait 24 hours for clarity. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha also gave a vague answer for the same issue. He indicated that his team would respond based on India’s approach.

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