India captain Suryakumar Yadav kept his handshake plans under wraps in the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Pakistan in Colombo, urging the fans and media to “wait for 24 hours”. The Men in Blue will meet their arch-rivals at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday, with an eye to Super 8 qualification from Group A. Both India and Pakistan are on two points each.
The act of no handshake started with the Pakistan players on a cricket field started last year during the Asia Cup in Dubai by Suryakumar Yadav, as a mark of respect to the lives lost in the Pahalgam terror attack and also as a gesture of solidarity with the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor.
Since then, the Indian cricket teams have maintained a stance of no handshake across genders and in junior cricket. Asked about if the Indian team would continue with the stance, Suryakumar came up with a cheeky reply, thus keeping everyone guessing.
“Wait 24 hours. We’ll play good cricket then decide on it. Sleep well and eat good. Wait for 24 hours.” Suryakumar told media on Saturday during the pre-match press conference.
