India and Pakistan skip handshake at Asian Games final toss
India and Pakistan skipped the customary handshake at the toss for their Asian Games cricket final in Nisshin.
India captain Shreyas Iyer and Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan did not shake hands at the toss of the Asian Games men's cricket final in Nisshin on Saturday. Iyer won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan.
The teams have avoided handshakes at the toss and after matches since their encounters at the 2025 Asia Cup. The practice has continued through subsequent bilateral and multi-nation events involving both senior and junior sides.
Athletes from the two countries in other sports at the Asian Games have continued to exchange handshakes. ACC president Mohsin Naqvi will not attend the final due to prior commitments.
CricHubb Take
The absence of a handshake has become a fixed ritual rather than an exception, indicating that the diplomatic standoff is now treated as standard operating procedure by both boards.