Pakistan’s head coach, Mike Hesson, voiced his frustration following India’s decision to forgo the traditional post-match handshake after their Asia Cup 2025 encounter. The match, held on Sunday, September 14th, saw India secure a decisive seven-wicket victory, successfully chasing a modest target of 128 runs. Following the win, Indian players Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube proceeded directly to the dressing room without acknowledging their Pakistani counterparts. The Indian team’s disregard for the customary handshake left Pakistan skipper Salman Agha and coach Mike Hesson waiting near the Indian team area, with no Indian players emerging to participate in the gesture. Hesson confirmed during the post-match press conference that the Pakistani players were prepared to shake hands, but were left disappointed when the Indian players chose not to reciprocate. “Obviously, we were ready to shake hands at the end of the game. We were disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that. We went over there to shake hands, and they’d already gone into the changing room,” Hesson stated to reporters. He added, “That was a disappointing way for the match to finish. We were disappointed in the way we played, but certainly were willing to go and shake hands.”
