Angry Pakistan captain skips press conference as India shut dressing room, refuse handshakes: 'They'd already gone into changing room'

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha broke the protocol in anger as he skipped the customary post-match press conference after Team India players shut the dressing room door and refused to shake hands after their Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday in Dubai. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also lodged a “formal protest” against match referee Andy Pycroft for reportedly asking the captains not to shake hands during the toss.

With the Group A match taking place just a few months after the deadly Pahalgam attack, the emotions were running high among the Indian cricket fans as they demanded a boycott of the Pakistan team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to proceed with the match riled them up even further, as the anger erupted on social media platforms.

Pakistan captain angry as India refuse handshakes

Respecting the sentiments, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was seen ignoring a handshake with Pakistan captain Salman at the toss. The trend continued even after India secured a comprehensive seven-wicket win as Suryakumar and Shivam Dube walked back to the dressing room, without shaking hands with Pakistan players.

The Indian players who were in the dugout also walked back to the dressing room, ignoring the Pakistani players who had lined-up for the customary post-match handshakes. The players did not return to the field as the dressing room door was shut.

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No handshake by Indian team.

Pakistan waited for handshake but India went to the dressing room and closed the doors.

What a humiliation by Indian team 🤣

Belt treatment for Porkis#INDvPAK #IndianCricket #INDvsPAK #indvspak2025 #AsiaCupT20 #AsiaCup #ShubmanGill #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/zXMXZEmiuP

— Aman (@dharma_watch) September 14, 2025

In the post-match press conference, Pakistan coach Mike Hesson revealed that Salman decided not to come out for the media interaction as a result of a “follow-on effect” from India refusing to shake hands with him. He also revealed how Indian players ignored them at the end.

“We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, we obviously are disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that,” he said. “We sort of went over there to shake hands and they’d already gone into the changing room.

“That was a disappointing way for the match to finish, and a match we were disappointed for the way we played, but we were certainly willing to shake hands.”

Suryakumar defends India’s action, expresses solidarity with Pahalgam victims

India captain Suryakumar, however, defended his position in the post-match press conference as he clarified that it was a conscious call to avoid the handshakes as the team wanted to “express” solidarity with the Pahalgam terror attack victims.

“Our government and BCCI - we were aligned today,” Suryakumar said. “Rest, we took a call [about not shaking hands]. We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply.”

“Few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit also. I’ve [said] it at the presentation as well, we stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families, and express our solidarity.”

India and Pakistan are almost set to play each other in the Super 4s, where we can see a repeat of the handshake controversy.