Archive · 1 Oct 2026
India Faces Handshake Question Before Asian Games Pakistan Final
India and Pakistan will play each other in the Asian Games cricket final on Saturday.
India reached the final after beating Sri Lanka by 124 runs.
A big question is whether the players will shake hands after the match.
Indian cricket players have recently avoided handshakes with Pakistani players.
They have done this to show support for India’s armed forces.
Other Indian athletes at these Games have shaken hands with Pakistani competitors.
Olympic rules do not strictly require a handshake.
The decision for the cricket team may be made by the team management and cricket officials.
No matter what happens, both teams will share the medal podium after the final.
India’s 124-run semifinal win over Sri Lanka set up an Asian Games final against Pakistan.
Indian cricket players have declined handshakes with Pakistan since Operation Sindoor, citing solidarity with India’s armed forces.
The no-handshake policy has continued in Asian Cricket Council and International Cricket Council events.
Olympic rules do not require handshakes, although they are viewed as part of sportsmanlike conduct.
Indian athletes in table tennis and squash have shaken hands with Pakistani opponents during the Asian Games.
- Who
- India and Pakistan’s cricket teams, with the decision potentially involving Indian team management, Devajit Saikia and Jay Shah.
- What
- The teams will meet in the Asian Games cricket final, with uncertainty over whether their players will shake hands.
- When
- The final is scheduled for Saturday; India’s semifinal victory occurred on Thursday.
- Where
- The final is set to take place in Nagoya, with the article also identifying Nisshin as the location.
- Why
- The handshake question follows India’s refusal to exchange pleasantries with Pakistan in recent cricket events after Operation Sindoor, while handshakes remain associated with sportsmanlike conduct.
Maintain No-Handshake Policy
Follow Sporting Custom
Whether cricket players should shake hands
Maintain No-Handshake Policy
India’s cricket team may continue refusing handshakes with Pakistan to remain consistent with its policy in Asian Cricket Council and International Cricket Council events and to show solidarity with India’s armed forces.
Follow Sporting Custom
The teams could exchange handshakes in keeping with the customary sportsmanlike conduct associated with major multi-sport events; Indian athletes in table tennis and squash have already done so.
Which rules apply
Maintain No-Handshake Policy
The no-handshake approach could be extended to this event despite it being organized under the Olympic Council of Asia rather than the cricket bodies governing the existing policy.
Follow Sporting Custom
The Olympic Council of Asia and International Olympic Committee rules do not require handshakes, but their sporting ideals emphasize fair play and friendship.
- Match
- Asian Games cricket final: India versus Pakistan
- India’s semifinal result
- India defeated Sri Lanka by 124 runs
- Handshake policy
- Indian cricket players have declined handshakes with Pakistan since Operation Sindoor
- Relevant rules
- Olympic Council of Asia and International Olympic Committee rules do not make handshakes mandatory
- Other Indian athletes
- Indian table tennis and squash players shook hands with Pakistani opponents
- Decision-maker
- BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is expected to decide the approach after reaching Nagoya
- Podium
- India and Pakistan will share the podium regardless of the final’s result