Anil Chaudhary breaks silence on India-Pakistan handshake controversy

Saurav Goyal

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Anil Chaudhary breaks silence on India-Pakistan handshake controversy image

The Asia Cup 2025 might be over but there were some things that happened after the games that grabbed more attention than game itself.

The much-talked-about handshake controversy between India and Pakistan became one of the most debated moments in cricket this year.

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The controversy began after India’s group-stage win against Pakistan in Dubai, when Indian players walked off the field without shaking hands with the Pakistani team.

Now, Indian umpire Anil Chaudhary has shared his take on the issue.

What did Anil Chaudhary say about the handshake controversy?

When asked about the ongoing criticism, Anil Chaudhary dismissed the outrage in calm fashion. He said, “If Indian players don’t feel like shaking hands, they didn’t do it. There’s no obligation to shake hands, after all.”

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The first handshake incident took place on Sept.14, 2025, during the group match in Dubai, the first India-Pakistan clash since the border tensions earlier in the year.

After India’s seven-wicket win, Pakistan players led by Salman Ali Agha, stood on the field for the traditional handshake. But Indian players headed straight to the dressing room. Even before that, at the toss, India’s captain  had skipped the customary pre-match handshake with Agha.

The same pattern continued in the Super Four match on Sept. 21, when India again defeated Pakistan. There too, shaking hands was avoided. 

Pakistan captain Agha later said, “In all my years of cricket, I have never seen this happen. It’s not good for the game’s spirit.”

By the time the Asia Cup final came around on Sept. 27, both teams had stopped attempting handshakes altogether.

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Saurav Goyal

Saurav Goyal is a Content Producer at the Sporting News with over two years of experience in covering cricket. An avid cricket fan for more than two decades, his passion for the game led him to writing. Since then, he’s been delivering the latest news and engaging content to keep cricket fans informed and entertained.