New Delhi: India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. It was a big and exciting game. But after the match, many people noticed that the Indian players did not shake hands with the Pakistan team. This “no handshake” stand has been followed by India since the Asia Cup 2025.
Before the match, the scene was very different. Former India captain Rohit Sharma was present at the stadium as the brand ambassador of the tournament. He came onto the field with ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta and Pakistan legend Wasim Akram to bring the trophy. Rohit and Wasim hugged each other and spoke with smiles. Their video quickly became popular on social media.
https://twitter.com/nibraz88cricket/status/2023107278841520441
After the match, however, there was no handshake between the two teams. This made many fans ask questions. If Rohit Sharma can hug Wasim Akram, why can’t the Indian team shake hands with Pakistani players?
Famous commentator Harsha Bhogle said that India-Pakistan matches used to feel more emotional in the past. Every ball created tension and excitement. Wins and losses felt very personal. But now, he feels that the emotional touch is slowly reducing.
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar also spoke about the issue. He said the “no handshake” rule is not needed and does not look good. According to him, if teams want to play, they should play with good sports spirit.
Even after a big win, the talk about sportsmanship and the “no handshake” decision is continuing.
