Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistan is not worried by India’s ‘no handshake’ approach in recent matches, including the Asia Cup 2025. The PCB chief said that Pakistan teams will continue their stance against India regardless of attitude or off-field dynamics.
Since September, India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams have decided not to shake hands with Pakistan after international matches. This gesture was first seen during the Men’s Asia Cup under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav. After this, the Indian women’s team adopted the same method during the ODI World Cup.
India’s U19 men’s team continued its no-handshake policy during the Asia Cup earlier this month. Its objective was to show solidarity towards the victims of Pahalgam terror attack.
Sarfaraz would have told you what kind of attitude was shown – Mohsin Naqvi
Speaking to journalists in Lahore, Mohsin Naqvi said that Pakistan has no plans to push India into gestures like shaking hands. He said that Pakistan will keep cricket away from politics and also said that the game should be played without outside influences.
“Our belief remains the same even today, and believe me, the Prime Minister himself has told me twice that we should not let politics come into all this.”Naqvi said in a press conference in Lahore,
He said, “Our stance from day one has been that cricket and politics should remain separate. That day, Sarfaraz would have told you what kind of attitude was shown and what it was like.”
We have no special desire to do so – Mohsin Naqvi
Mohsin Naqvi said that Pakistan will accept whatever stand India takes, but he also said that there will be no unilateral agreement. He said that this balanced approach is not temporary and Pakistan will maintain the same stance in future matches also.
Naqvi said, “If they do not want to join hands, we also have no particular desire to do so. Whatever happens, it will be on an equal basis with India. And you will see, this approach will continue in the future also. It is not possible for them to do one thing and for us to step back – it will not happen at all.”
Mohsin Naqvi’s comments come after tense U19 Asia Cup final
Naqvi’s comments come days after Pakistan’s victory over India in the U19 Asia Cup final. Pakistan won their second U19 Asia Cup title by winning by a huge margin of 191 runs. It is noteworthy that this match was full of tension and heated moments.
Pakistan fast bowler Ali Raza was involved in a brief interaction with Indian captain Ayush Mhatre and later Vaibhav Suryavanshi. After the match, Pakistan U19 mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed criticized the Indian players and called some of their actions unethical.
According to reports, Naqvi considered taking the issue to the International Cricket Council. Before the tournament, the ICC had already asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to reconsider its no-handshake policy at the junior level, but the Indian board decided to continue with it.
Naqvi himself has also been in controversies in the past. During the Senior Asia Cup final, he walked away with the trophy after India refused to accept it from him during his role as ACC President.
Also read: PCB to sell 2 new PSL teams for less than the combined IPL salary of Rishabh Pant-Shreyas Iyer
