Pakistan Captain Salman Agha Snubs India’s Suryakumar Yadav at Asia Cup Press Conference

Social Media Erupts Over Captains’ Cold Exchange

The Asia Cup 2025 captains’ press conference in the UAE witnessed an awkward moment when Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha completely ignored India captain Suryakumar Yadav for a customary handshake. The incident, which occurred immediately after Tuesday’s press conference concluded, has set social media ablaze with reactions from cricket fans worldwide.

As the press conference ended, Agha quickly rose from his seat and rushed off the stage alongside the Hong Kong and Oman captains, deliberately avoiding any interaction with the Indian contingent. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav remained on stage, engaging in friendly conversations with captains from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, exchanging handshakes and warm embraces before departing.

History of Handshake Controversies in Indian Cricket

This incident marks another handshake controversy involving Indian cricketers in 2025. Earlier during England’s tour of India for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, a similar situation arose at Old Trafford during the fourth Test. England captain Ben Stokes offered a draw-accepting handshake to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, but the Indian batters declined, continuing their pursuit of individual centuries instead.

The Asia Cup 2025 tournament begins September 9 in the UAE, with India entering as defending champions and reigning T20 World Cup winners. Pakistan recently claimed victory in a tri-series featuring UAE and Afghanistan, setting up an intriguing rivalry for the upcoming competition.