Asia Cup 2025: BCCI Break Silence On The India-Pakistan Handshake Row

The India–Pakistan cricket rivalry once again sparked controversy, not over the game itself but over post-match gestures. After their recent Asia Cup clash, Pakistani players and officials raised objections when Indian cricketers did not participate in customary handshakes — neither at the toss nor after the final ball.

Viewing this as a violation of sportsmanship, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a formal complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

They alleged that India’s conduct went against the principles of the ICC Code of Conduct and the Spirit of Cricket. Taking their protest further, the PCB also demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, arguing that he had failed to enforce the traditions that uphold the integrity and respect within the game.

BCCI’s Stance: Not in the Rulebook

While the PCB sought official action, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) downplayed the matter. A senior BCCI official, speaking anonymously, clarified that handshakes are not a mandatory requirement in the ICC’s rulebook. Instead, they are universally seen as a goodwill gesture, a sign of mutual respect and sportsmanship, but not a rule-bound obligation.

The official emphasized that conflating courtesy with regulation creates unnecessary tension. According to the BCCI’s perspective, India’s players had not violated any formal code, since no written directive compels cricketers to exchange handshakes before or after matches.

“Look, if you read the rule book, there is no specification about shaking hands with the opposition. It is a goodwill gesture and a sort of convention, not law, that is followed globally across the sporting spectrum,” the senior BCCI official told PTI.

“If there is no law, then the Indian cricket team is not bound to shake hands with an opposition with whom there is a history of a strained relationship,” he added.

A Gesture of Courtesy, Not Compulsion

The BCCI further argued that the political and historical sensitivities between India and Pakistan make such expectations more complex. In a sporting context, goodwill gestures like handshakes remain symbolic and voluntary, not enforceable duties.

The Indian side feels that no team should be compelled into interactions that may be uncomfortable given the broader backdrop of strained bilateral relations. While the cricketing world often upholds traditions of mutual respect, the BCCI’s stand highlights a distinction between etiquette and enforceable rules.

Thus, while the PCB continues to press for disciplinary measures, the Indian board has made it clear that its players cannot be accused of breaching cricket’s laws. Instead, the absence of handshakes should be viewed as a matter of choice rather than misconduct.