Shashi Tharoor Criticises Indian Players for Skipping Handshake, ICC Warns Captain Yadav

As India and Pakistan get ready to face off in the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday, Indian politician Shashi Tharoor has criticised Team India for not shaking hands with Pakistani players during an earlier match in the tournament.

Tharoor, a Member of Parliament, said that sports should not be mixed with politics. He told news agency ANI, “If we feel so strongly about Pakistan, we shouldn’t have played them. But if we are going to play, we should respect the spirit of the game and shake hands. Even during the 1999 Kargil War, Indian and Pakistani players shook hands at the World Cup.”

The controversy started during the group-stage match, when both teams skipped the traditional handshake before the game. Reports say this was advised by the match referee. India won that match by seven wickets.

However, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav came under fire for making political comments in his post-match speech. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint, saying Yadav broke ICC rules by bringing politics into the game.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) later gave Yadav an official warning for violating its code of conduct.