Amidst the usual tussle between Indian and Pakistani players on the cricket field, and as per the instructions of both the boards, when the players are avoiding any kind of friendly behaviour, one of the Indian Under-19 players won hearts with a heart-warming gesture, proving that the spirit of the game exists even amidst high-stakes encounters.
The rivalry between India and Pakistan on the cricket field has been a saga ever since both the teams started playing the game. However, in the history of the sport, the rivalry had never been influenced by a political agenda before 2025.
A terrorist attack on the Indian Valley resulted in the death of many innocent civilians, leading to unfriendly conduct by the Indian team during matches against Pakistan.
It started with the Asia Cup, where Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistani players after meeting them thrice in the tournament. This continued in the ICC Women’s World Cup and then the Rising Stars Men’s Asia Cup. However, the Under-19 Men’s Asia Cup appears to be an exception to this story.
Indian Under-19 player wins hearts with heart-touching gesture!
Shaking hands is very diplomatic, but tying a fellow cricketer’s shoe is fine.
That hypocrite man… pic.twitter.com/l6jhglaOyM– Hanan (@maliksahab_0) 14 December 2025
During the ongoing ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup, India continued its no-handshake policy against Pakistan during the toss and also in the post-match celebrations, but during the game, an Indian player tied the shoelaces of a Pakistan cricketer in a moment of sportsmanship.
During Pakistan’s batting innings, one of the Indian fast bowlers, Kishan Kumar Singh, not only impressed with the ball but also went viral on social media for helping Pakistani batsman Huzaifa Ahsan, who had asked for help with his shoelaces as he was struggling to fix them on his own.
The moment instantly went viral on the internet and many Pakistani fans appreciated the efforts of the young Indian. Although this highlighted the sportsmanship in the game, it was in stark contrast to the conduct of the Indian team during the start of the match and post-match formalities.
However, such incidents between players from the two countries are not new; In several previous instances, players like Virat Kohli and Yuzvendra Chahal have been seen tying the laces for Pakistani players, while several Pakistani cricketers like Shadab Khan and Haider Ali were also seen doing the same for Indian batsmen. However, this healthy and positive outlook has now become counterproductive.
India Under-19 defeated Pakistan Under-19 in a one-sided match
Talking about the game, India completely defeated their old rivals as they defeated Pakistan by 90 runs in a one-sided encounter. Batting first, India could set a target of 241 runs as they were all out for 240 runs without completing their quota of 50 overs.
Captain Ayush Mhatre gave India the fiery start it needed, while Aaron George stitched another vital partnership with middle-order batsmen Abhigyan Kundu and Kanishk Chauhan. With the help of George’s brilliant 85 and Chauhan’s 46 runs, India could avoid an early collapse.
In turn, the Pakistan Under-19 team was all out for 150 in just 41.2 balls as Huzaifa Ahsan fought single-handedly and stood with 70. Indian bowlers Deepesh Devendran and Kanishk Chauhan took 3 wickets each, while Kishan Kumar Singh also took two wickets.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi did wonders with the ball after missing with the bat.
The young and sensational batsman did not have the best performance with the bat as he was out cheaply after scoring just 5 runs after scoring a brilliant century in the last game. Suryavanshi returned by giving an easy return catch to the bowler.
However, the 14-year-old could not be kept out of the game. When the Pakistan team started to take control of its innings, batting in partnership with captain Farhan Yousuf and Huzaifa Ahsan, Suryavanshi provided success with the ball.
He dismissed the Pakistan captain, who was caught by the substitute fielder on the field, and Pakistan’s hopes of victory were dashed.
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