*Pakistan seek redemption against India after handshake controversy*

web Desk:

Pakistan and India are set to meet again on Sunday, September 21, in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025, exactly one week after their previous encounter and the infamous handshake controversy.India had won convincingly at the same Dubai venue, but what followed has turned this into far more than a cricket match.The September 14 fixture was the first meeting between Pakistan and India since cross-border tensions resurfaced in May, and the unease was evident even before a ball was bowled.Both captains skipped the customary handshake at the toss, something the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) alleged was instructed by match referee Andy Pycroft. According to the PCB, this move violated the spirit of cricket and the MCC’s code of conduct.India’s seven-wicket win was quickly overshadowed by what came next. After sealing victory, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube walked straight off as the rest of the Indian players celebrated in their dugout, refusing to acknowledge Pakistan.Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!Salman Ali Agha’s men stood waiting in line for the traditional handshake, only to be left stranded. Head coach Mike Hesson later admitted the team felt insulted, and in protest, Pakistan’s captain skipped the post-match presentation.Suryakumar, meanwhile, dedicated the win to victims of the Pahalgam attack and the Indian armed forces, a pointed reminder of the political backdrop.The PCB responded with a formal complaint to both the ICC and MCC, demanding Pycroft’s removal from the Asia Cup. They even suspended their own Director of International Cricket, Usman Wahla, for delaying the official protest.Behind the scenes, Pakistan threatened to boycott the tournament altogether. The standoff eventually eased after Pycroft privately apologised before Pakistan’s match against the UAE, but the damage was already done.And so, tomorrow’s clash carries all that baggage. We know there will be no handshakes, no pretence of sportsmanship. This is shaping up to be a war on the field.Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channelFor Pakistan’s players, the sting of insult is real, and they will want to respond. But here’s the truth: the only meaningful reply won’t come in press conferences or protests; it has to come through victory.That is where the real concern lies. Amid all the drama, Pakistan’s on-field performance has been overlooked. Their performance against India was toothless, and even against minnows UAE, they barely scraped through.Unless they lift their game dramatically, passion and politics will count for little.So what can we expect on Sunday? High tensions, maybe a few flashpoints reminiscent of Afridi versus Gambhir, and certainly no handshakes.But for Pakistan, the only response that truly matters, the only way to change the story, is to defeat India. Because in the end, nothing stings the opposition more than defeat.SquadsPakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk).