Under-19 World Cup 2026: India, Pakistan skip customary handshake again
What's the story
The much-anticipated Super Six Group 2 clash between India and Pakistan in the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup saw both captains avoid the customary handshake. Indian skipper Ayush Mhatre and his Pakistani counterpart Farhan Yousaf completed the toss proceedings without exchanging pleasantries. The handshake snub during the India-Pakistan games has been common since last year's T20 Asia Cup.
Pattern
No handshakes in India-Pakistan games
The handshake snub during the 2025 T20 Asia Cup was led by India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. He deliberately skipped shaking hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Agha. This was done as a mark of respect for the victims of the April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. After winning the final against Pakistan, the Men in Blue refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief.
Tensions
Hostilities between India and Pakistan
The two countries have been at loggerheads since the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack. While India responded by launching Operation Sindoor, Pakistan retaliated with drone attacks. Amid the political tensions, the two sides have already met at the Men's Asia Cup, the Rising Stars Asia Cup, the Women's World Cup, the Under-19 Asia Cup, and the U-19 World Cup. The senior men's Asia Cup saw champions India refuse to accept the trophy from Naqvi.
Importance
India, Pakistan in U-19 WC so far
In 2025, Mhatre (India) and Yousuf (Pakistan) kept their distance during the toss for the Under-19 Asia Cup match in Dubai. Now, a win for Mhatre-led India will guarantee them the U-19 World Cup semi-final qualification, while a Pakistan victory would level them with India on six points. However, Pakistan would need a big-margin win to surpass India's superior Net run rate.