Drama in Dubai! India refuse to shake hands with Pakistan after Asia Cup win; Pak coach gets pissed off

TimesofIndia.com in Dubai: India cruised to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in their high-stakes Asia Cup Group A clash on Sunday, but the result was overshadowed by off-field drama as Indian players skipped the customary post-match handshake on Sunday.Chasing 128, skipper Suryakumar Yadav (47 not out off 37) and Shivam Dube sealed victory in 15.5 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. However, instead of greeting their opponents, the Indian pair walked straight to the dressing room. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and head coach Mike Hesson later approached the Indian camp, but no players came out to shake hands. Hesson appeared visibly annoyed by the snub.The India captain later spoke about his team's performance and how he felt scoring the winning runs on his birthday. Greeted by former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, Suryakumar said, "This is the perfect return gift to India."He then made use of the winning moment to dedicate the win to India's armed forces. "We stand by the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. We want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery," said the skipper. His comment was received with a roar of applause from the crowd. India's decision to not shake hands after the match on the other hand, was the second no-handshake episode of the day, after Suryakumar and Agha declined to exchange hands at the toss. The tension had already been stoked before the start, when organisers mistakenly played the wrong anthem for Pakistan, forcing an awkward pause before the correction. On the field, India’s spinners dominated. Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) choked Pakistan’s middle order after Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah struck early blows. Only Sahibzada Farhan (40 off 44) and Shaheen Afridi (33* off 16) offered resistance, taking Pakistan to 127/9. In reply, India made short work of the chase. Abhishek Sharma blazed 31 off 13 balls, Tilak Varma steadied with 31 off 31, and Suryakumar finished things off with trademark composure. Both sides came into the clash on the back of convincing wins, India crushing UAE and Pakistan thrashing Oman. But the simmering political tensions between the neighbours spilled onto the field, with the absence of handshakes adding another layer to the rivalry. India now top Group A, while Pakistan are left with questions both on and off the field after another heated chapter in this storied contest.Brief scores:Pakistan: 127/ 9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 40, Shaheen Afridi 33 not out; Kuldeep Yadav 3/18, Axar Patel 2/18)India: 131/3 in 15.5 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 47 not out, Abhishek Sharma 31, Tilak Varma 31; Saim Ayub 3/35).