India Under-19 captain Ayush Mhatre was part of an awkward moment during Match 7 of the Under-19 World Cup against Bangladesh on Saturday, January 17, at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. At the toss, Mhatre did not shake hands with the Bangladesh stand-in captain.
Why did Zawad Abrar come for the toss?
Bangladesh captain Md Azizul Hakim Tamim was unwell and did not attend the toss, with vice-captain Zawad Abrar stepping in as his replacement. After Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field, the two captains avoided both a handshake and eye contact, making the situation visibly uncomfortable.
The tension continued a few minutes later during the national anthem. As players from both teams walked onto the field and lined up near the boundary, there were no handshakes or interactions between them.
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Why India refused shake hands
Notably, Ayush Mhatre refused to shake hands as the relations between the two countries have been tense in recent weeks. The situation worsened after protests broke out following Mustafizur Rahman’s signing by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the IPL 2026. Many voices opposed the Bangladesh fast bowler playing in India, especially amid reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
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BCCI's stance for violence against Hindus in Bangladesh
Taking note of the public reaction, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later said that KKR had been advised to release Mustafizur from their squad. Responding to that, Bangladesh reportedly threatened not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026, citing security concerns.
After that, the Indian Cricket Board BCCI and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have been in disagreement for the venues of their T20 World Cup matches.
India vs Bangladesh Under-19 World Cup playing XIs
Bangladesh U19 (Playing XI): MD Rifat Beg, Zawad Abrar, Md Azizul Hakim Tamim(c), Kalam Siddiki Aleen, Md Rizan Hossan, Md Farid Hasan Faysal(w), Md Samiun Basir Ratul, Sheikh Paevez Jibon, Al Fahad, Saad Islam Razin, Iqbal Hossain Emon
India U19 (Playing XI): Ayush Mhatre(c), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vedant Trivedi, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhigyan Kundu(w), Kanishk Chouhan, Harvansh Pangalia, RS Ambrish, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran