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No Handshakes: India and Pakistan Maintain Distance After Asian Games Final
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News18•03-10-2026, 16:07
No Handshakes: India and Pakistan Maintain Distance After Asian Games Final
- •Indian and Pakistani cricket teams avoided handshakes at the 2026 Asian Games final, continuing a trend since the 2025 Asia Cup.
- •India secured a 19-run victory over Pakistan in the Gold medal match at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
- •There was no traditional toss ceremony, and players from both teams did not exchange pleasantries before or after the match.
- •The medal ceremony proceeded without incident, with Jay Shah presenting gold medals to India and a senior AINAGOC official presenting silver to Pakistan.
- •Mohsin Naqvi's absence from the medal ceremony prevented a potential breach of rules by India, who had previously refused to accept a trophy from him due to his offensive comments.
Key Questions Answered
No, the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams continued to avoid handshakes at the toss and after the match during the 2026 Asian Games final.
India has refused handshakes with Pakistan since the 2025 Asia Cup in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which severely strained diplomatic and sporting relations.
A senior Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee official presented the silver medals to Pakistan, while ICC chairman Jay Shah handed the gold medals to India.
