Team India's handshake refusal to add to Mohsin Naqvi's humiliation after ICC Champions Trophy neutral venue setback?- The Week

Team India refusing to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts was among the talking points of Asia Cup 2025. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his counterpart Salman Ali Agha during tosses on both occasions and there was hardly any interaction between the two teams on the field -- except a flare-up involving seamer Haris Rauf and in-form Indian opener Abhishek Sharma.

The Indian camp maintains that their uncooperative attitude to Team Pakistan is a reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack and the military face-off between the two countries in its aftermath. However, there could be more drama during the presentation ceremony if India beat Agha's men for a third time in the tournament on Sunday. This is because of the presence of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as well as the Interior Minister of Pakistan.

Seasoned politician Naqvi will not only be in attendance at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday but is mandated to be present at the post-final presentation ceremony. As the head of the continental body, he will be well within his rights to present the trophy and also engage in a customary handshake with both squads. Having refused to shake hands with players of Pakistan, it is almost certain that the Men In Blue will not be willing to extend the courtesy to Naqvi, who often makes anti-India remarks and tried his best to ensure the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy would not be taking place at a neutral venue in India's favour.

A deadlock had occurred after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy cricket. This meant if India progressed to the semi-final and the final of the tournament, Pakistan would lose the hosting rights to the hybrid venue, most likely to be Dubai. Pakistan remained adamant that the entire tournament should be held in the country and India shouldn't be allowed to use a neutral venue for its games. However, BCCI won the decisive battle and India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the final played in Dubai.

Also, Naqvi's insistence that the PCB accused match referee Andy Pycroft of prohibiting the exchange of pleasantries after the September 14 game here, was something that was summarily rejected by the ICC.

Later, it was Naqvi who wanted India skipper Suryakumar Yadav banned from the final. PCB had Level 4 charges against him for dedicating his team's September 14 victory to his country's Armed Forces and for also showing solidarity with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"As of now, information is that he will come this evening and obviously as ACC chairman, he will be giving away the winner's trophy. Let's see what the BCCI decides," a tournament insider told PTI on condition of anonymity.

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