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On September 14, India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake opposition captain Salman Agha’s hand during the coin toss. When he finished the run chase with a six, he walked straight to the dressing room, ignoring the customary handshake. Later, in the post-match presentation he expressed solidarity with victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack and lauded Indian Army for Operation Sindoor to destroy terrorist outfits in Pakistan. As the handshake snub created controversy, there were questions over whether Suryakumar will face sanctions. A source told Sports Tak that the Indian captain is unlikely to face any sanctions for his statement.
“There will be no sanctions on Suryakumar Yadav for his Pahalgam statement. There have been other cricketers in the past who have made similar statements and not been sanctioned so why would he be sanctioned?” the source told Sports Tak.
The T20 Asia Cup 2025 is not an ICC event but Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC). The source further added that no the Indian captain won’t face sanctions for returning to the dressing room without customary handshakes after the victory.
“It’s an ACC issue but if he wasn’t sanctioned the first time around, why would be the second time? How do you sanction someone for something that’s just a convention and not in the rule book?” the source added.
What Suryakumar said after India’s 7-wicket win vs Pakistan
In the post-match press conference, Suryakumar said that it was pre-decided and the team was aligned with government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"Our government and BCCI - we were aligned today," Suryakumar told the reporters. "Rest, we took a call [about not shaking hands]. We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply."
He does not feel that their actions were against the spirit of the game.
"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," he added.
PCB files complaint
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have lodged their protest with the ACC. In a statement, they questioned the match referee Andy Pycroft for telling Agha not to shake Suryakumar’s hand during coin toss. Also, it revealed that Agha did not come for post-match presentation in response to India’s handshake snub.
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