Suryakumar Yadav said “wait and watch” when asked about the customary handshake before India’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan.
The much-anticipated clash between India national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will take place as scheduled on February 15 in Colombo. However, uncertainty remains over whether the two sides will take part in the customary post-match handshake.
The issue began during the Asia Cup, when Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates chose not to shake hands with the Pakistan players. The move came as a mark of protest after the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of more than 20 civilians, most of them tourists.
India faced Pakistan three times in that tournament and won all three matches. However, the Indian players did not participate in the traditional handshake on any of those occasions.
Four months later, the arch-rivals are set to meet again in Colombo. It remains unclear what will happen at the end of Sunday’s match.
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Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar avoided giving a direct answer when asked about the handshake. Instead, he asked the media to be patient.
“Wait for 24 hours. We are here to play cricket, have good food and sleep,” said Surya on handshake.
With emotions running high and memories of the previous incident still fresh, all eyes will be on the players not just during the game but also after the final ball is bowled.
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