 "Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be in focus for India in U19 Asia Cup 2025. Image: PTI")
The International Cricket Council (ICC) reportedly wants the Under-19 Indian cricket team to keep politics out of the sport and follow normal protocols as they get ready to face Pakistan in the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025. The India vs Pakistan match will be played on 14 December at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai.
India did not shake hands with Pakistan players during the Asia Cup 2025, which was played after the Pahalgam terror attack. The boycott was done to showcase solidarity with the Indian armed forces. The women’s team continued the same policy in the ICC ODI World Cup. Things didn’t even change during the Rising Stars Asia Cup T20.
ICC wants India to end handshake boycott vs Pakistan
But they could in the ongoing 50-over U19 Asia Cup, which began for India on Friday with a match vs the United Arab Emirates. According to news agency PTI, ICC wants India to end the handshake boycott. The final decision, however, is with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the players.
The BCCI has informed team manager Anand Datar that if the players decide to boycott handshakes with Pakistan players, then the match referee should be informed in advance.
“The boys haven’t been told anything. But obviously BCCI has given explicit instructions to its manager Anand Datar. Now if Indian boys don’t shake hands with Pakistan team then match referee will have to be informed in advance,” a BCCI official told PTI.
“We know for a fact that ICC doesn’t want politics to take front seat when it comes to junior cricket. So it is a case of both bad optics and public sentiment.”
Meanwhile, India opener Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who recently broke records in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, would be in focus as India look to clinch the Asia U19 tournament.
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View AllBesides, Pakistan, India have the UAE and Malaysia are the other teams in their Group A. Reaching the semi-finals should not be a problem for them.