New twist in no-handshake row: Gambhir’s action go viral, leave Pakistan stunned

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A new twist in the no-handshake controversy unfolded after India’s 6-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Super-4 match at Dubai. Team India coach Gautam Gambhir instructed players to shake hands only with the umpires, not with Pakistani cricketers.

Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav had avoided shaking hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha at the toss, while Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya skipped handshakes after the match. Gambhir later called players back and directed them to greet only the umpires, leaving the Pakistan team surprised.

After the match, Gambhir posted a photo of the team on Instagram with the caption — “Fearless.” India’s win was powered by Abhishek Sharma’s 74 and Shubman Gill’s 47 in a 105-run stand, while Sahibzada Farhan scored 58 for Pakistan.