Asia Cup final: Suryakumar snubs handshake and trophy photoshoot with Pakistan captain

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha once again avoided the customary handshake at the toss, marking the third successive instance during the Asia Cup 2025. A day after Salman publicly expressed his disappointment at the repeated snubs, Suryakumar chose not to shake hands with the Pakistan skipper ahead of the toss in the highly anticipated Asia Cup final.

Also, Suryakumar did not attend the trophy photoshoot with the Pakistan captain ahead of the toss. Salman was seen posing with the big prize alone minutes before the toss on Sunday, September 28.

Asia Cup Final, IND vs PAK Updates

The Indian captain had first made his stance clear during their group-stage encounter, which was notably the first meeting between the two sides on a cricket field since the terror attack in Pahalgam in April and the subsequent cross-border hostilities in May. On that occasion, Suryakumar declined the pre-match handshake, setting a precedent that his teammates later followed. After India comprehensively defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the group clash, the entire Indian side refrained from engaging in the customary post-match exchange of handshakes as well.

Defending his decision, Suryakumar explained that “some things in life are bigger than sportsman’s spirit” when pressed by a journalist who questioned whether he had failed to uphold the ideals of fair play and respect in cricket. His statement underscored the depth of sentiment behind his refusal, framing the gesture not as a slight against individual players but as a response to larger circumstances.

At the final, Suryakumar won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bowl first, making his decision with clarity and conviction on Sunday.

More to follow.