The BRICS TimesSenior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor reacted to the controversy over Indian players refusing handshakes with Pakistani cricketers during the Asia Cup. He said that sportsmanship should always remain above everything. If the decision was to play, then handshakes must have been part of it. He reminded that earlier too, in difficult times, India had shaken hands while keeping the true spirit of sports alive.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated that the Indian cricket team should have shaken hands with Pakistani players during the Asia Cup. He stressed that the spirit of the game must be kept separate from political or military tensions between the two countries. According to him, this approach is extremely important.
Tharoor accepted that emotions against Pakistan can be understood. Yet, he emphasized that sports should not mix with politics or armed conflicts. “My personal view is that once the decision to play was taken, we should not hold on to bitterness against Pakistan,” he explained. He added, “If that was the case, then we should not have played the match at all. But since we played, we should have respected the spirit of the game and shaken hands with them.”
Handshakes Even During the Kargil War
Tharoor reminded that this is not the first time such a situation has occurred. He recalled the 1999 World Cup, when the Kargil War was ongoing. “At that time, our soldiers were sacrificing their lives for the nation, yet on the same day we played Pakistan in England. Even then, we shook hands because the spirit of the game remains different from countries, armies, and conflicts,” he said.
The Congress leader expressed disappointment that both sides failed to uphold the true spirit of sports. He noted that if Pakistani players felt insulted earlier and decided to insult India in return, then it reflects poorly on both teams.
Indian Team Refused to Shake Hands
During the Asia Cup 2025, Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. The two captains, Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha, skipped the traditional pre-match handshake. After India’s win, captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube quickly walked back to the dressing room, leaving the Pakistani players waiting.
