Dubai: As India and Pakistan once again faced each other on the cricket field, this time during the U19 Men’s Asia Cup, India skipper Ayush Mhatre stuck to the ‘no handshake’ policy in the group stage fixture against their arch-rivals here at the ICC Academy Ground Sunday.
At the toss, neither India’s captain Mhatre nor Pakistan skipper Farhan Yousaf took the initiative to exchange the customary pleasantries. After Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first against India, the two captains did not even make eye contact; they simply gave their respective interviews and then headed towards their dressing rooms.
This continues from the no-handshake protocol initiated by the Indian men’s team during the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025, where the Indian team did not shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts in all three matches of the tournament and then refused to receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Interior Minister of Pakistan.
Later, in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup match, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur upheld the ‘no handshake’ policy.
Coming to the match, Yousaf won the toss and decided to bowl first against India in a match that was reduced to 49 overs per side due to rain. Batting first, India are currently struggling at 114-4 in 20 overs.
In the tournament opener, India secured a massive 234-run victory over the UAE after setting the highest-ever score in the Men’s U19 Asia Cup.
Teenage star Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a spectacular 171, while Aaron George (69) and Vihaan Malhotra (69) contributed vital half-centuries. Vedant Trivedi (38), Abhigyan Kundu (32), and Kanishk Chouhan (28) added the finishing touches to the record total of 433/6.
India surpassed their own highest total in U19 ODIs – 425/3 scored against Scotland in 2004. Overall, India’s total of 433 is the third-highest score ever by a team in a men’s U19 one-day match.
On the other hand, Pakistan thrashed Malaysia U19 by 297 runs in their opening fixture.
IANS
