The BCCI has signaled that India’s no-handshake policy with Pakistan is likely to persist, with Board secretary Devajit Saikia attributing the stance to ongoing geopolitical tensions. His remarks come as scrutiny intensifies over the frosty on-field relations between the two cricketing nations, which have been evident across men’s, women’s, and A-team tournaments.
BCCI says policy tied to geopolitics, not cricket
In a recent interaction with RevSportz, Saikia made it clear that the BCCI‘s posture toward player interactions with Pakistan is not likely to shift unless there’s a major change in the broader political climate.
“I am not an astrologer. I cannot predict anything. Everything is dependent on the geopolitical situation. The situation is not very conducive till now. Tomorrow I do not know,” Saikia told RevSportz.
The no-handshake protocol was first publicly noted during the 2025 Asia Cup, when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav notably avoided a handshake with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha. The gesture—or lack thereof—was repeated throughout the tournament, including in the final, and has since extended to other competitions.
Policy continues across men’s, women’s and A-team cricket
The practice isn’t limited to India’s senior men’s team. The trend has continued into the ongoing Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament, where India A captain Jitesh Sharma also did not shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart. Similarly, the Indian women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, refrained from post-match handshakes during their Women’s ODI World Cup encounter with Pakistan.
With bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan still suspended, these actions further underscore the chilly relations on and off the field.
Asia Cup trophy row still unresolved
Adding another layer to the strained dynamics is the unresolved issue surrounding the 2025 Asia Cup trophy. After India’s win, the team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Mohsin Naqvi. The trophy remains in Dubai, locked away at ACC headquarters, symbolizing a diplomatic and sporting standoff.
“This is an unfortunate situation which has been going on since the final of the Asia Cup recently in Dubai. We hope the trophy will come back to India as soon as possible. In the ICC meeting, I personally met (ACC president) on the sidelines of the board meeting,” Saikia said.
Efforts to resolve the issue are reportedly underway, with some encouraging signs coming out of informal ICC meetings.
“We had several meetings and in that meeting, the ICC chairman was also present. But not in the main meeting. When the meeting was over, we met at the same venue and there were some positive discussions, positive signs and very soon we hope that a solution will come out to close this chapter,” Saikia added.
No immediate thaw in sight
While India and Pakistan continue to face off in multi-nation tournaments like those organized by the ICC and ACC, the no-handshake policy—now a visible symbol of the broader political divide—shows no signs of going away. For now, cricket remains one of the few arenas where the two nations still come face to face, albeit with minimal pleasantries.
