Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar's handshake with Pakistan captain Agha Salman, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi sparks debate

Published - 09 Sept 2025, 16:16 IST | Updated - 09 Sept 2025, 16:50 IST

At the official trophy unveiling and Captains’ Day ceremony of the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai on September 9, all eight skippers gathered under one roof. However, India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, drew maximum attention after he shook hands with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, and Pakistan skipper Salman Agha.

In recent months, calls for India to boycott Pakistan have grabbed significant eyeballs as the heightened tensions have grown louder. The Captains’ Day was their first joint appearance ahead of the September 13 clash in Dubai. The ceremony began with all captains posing alongside the Asia Cup trophy, followed by a formal introduction with ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi. Notably, each skipper extended a handshake to Naqvi. Meanwhile, when it was Suryakumar Yadav’s turn, cameras grabbed the moment as he shook hands with Naqvi.

The gesture went viral because of Naqvi’s recent comments, in which he had accused India of orchestrating political dramas around cross-border tensions. Many fans back home viewed SKY’s handshake as a diplomatic necessity.

Meanwhile, after the media interaction, when all the captains were exiting the room, the Indian skipper shook hands with the Pakistani skipper, Salman Agha. However, the two captains maintained a visible distance during the media interaction. Suryakumar Yadav also engaged warmly, meeting the other six captains after the presser.

While the tournament begins on September 09, with Afghanistan locking horns with Hong Kong, India's campaign begins on September 10 as they take on the UAE. Furthermore, Pakistan will be up against Oman for their first fixture of the tournament. The fans are mainly waiting for the high-profile India-Pakistan game on Sunday, September 14, in Dubai.