The diplomatic chill between India and Pakistan remained evident at T20 World Cup 2026, as India maintained its strict 'no-handshake' policy during their high-stakes encounter in Colombo.
No-handshake policy persists between India & Pakistan
At the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha shared the stage, but the customary handshake was noticeably absent. Despite moments where a greeting seemed possible, both leaders adhered to their respective team protocols, leaving the traditional gesture of sportsmanship by the wayside.
The policy, which has been in place since the 2025 Asia Cup, showed no signs of thawing even as Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to field. Agha cited the tacky nature of the R. Premadasa surface as his reason for bowling first, hoping to exploit early assistance for his seamers. Conversely, Suryakumar expressed satisfaction with being asked to bat, noting that India had successfully defended totals in their previous two tournament fixtures.
India’s tactical setup for the blockbuster clash included two significant changes. Spin specialist Kuldeep Yadav was brought into the XI in place of pacer Arshdeep Singh to capitalize on the gripping Colombo pitch. Additionally, opening batter Abhishek Sharma returned to the side after recovering from a stomach bug that had sidelined him during the match against Namibia, leading to the exclusion of Sanju Samson.
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Pakistan, meanwhile, opted for consistency by fielding an unchanged lineup from their previous victory. While there had been pre-match chatter regarding the form of veteran Babar Azam, the team management signaled their continued faith in the legendary batter. As the two sides faced off, the focus shifted from the absence of a handshake to a battle of strategy on a surface expected to reward craft over power.
India's Playing XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan's Playing XI:
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Khan(w), Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq