T20 World Cup: ‘It’s not good for the game’ – Salman Ali Agha on India Asia Cup handshake
Agha won the toss and elected to bowl in the Group A match, which was only confirmed six days ago when the Pakistan government turned around and threatened to boycott the match.Watch liveThat the status quo would be maintained was clear when neither Surya nor Salman committed to a handshake, while the Pakistan captain said he would like to “support” the spirit of cricket.Also Read: Sanjay Manjrekar minces no words on India’s ‘stupid’ handshake policy vs PakistanBefore the match, Suryakumar refused to clarify his position in the pre-match press conference. “Wait 24 hours. We are here to play cricket. Eat well and sleep well,” he said on Saturday.While Pakistan captain Agha indicated that Pakistan is open to the gesture and that the decision rests with India. “Cricket should be played in the right spirit. My personal opinion may not matter, but cricket should be played the way it has always been played. It is up to them to decide what to do,” he said.During the Asia Cup, Suryakumar refused to shake hands with the Pakistan captain, leading to a reaction from Pakistan. They briefly considered boycotting their next game in the tournament before deciding to go ahead. The no-handshake policy remained in effect for the next two games between the teams.Earlier in the day, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar criticized India’s no-handshake policy with Pakistan, calling it “stupid” and saying it did not reflect well on the great cricketing nation.“This ‘no handshake’ is such a stupid thing that India has started. It is unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play the game properly or don’t play at all,” Manjrekar wrote on his X account.Sunday’s developments confirmed that the approach remains unchanged at the World T20.