T20 World Cup: How India vs Pakistan relations went from bad to worse

"When India and Pakistan meet in the T20 World Cup on Sunday, the match will not just be significant for its on-field cricket action but also the political climate that has shrouded the encounter and the tournament itself. The South Asian nations share a decades-old history of wars and hostile relations. The most recent encounter came in May 2025, when the nuclear-armed neighbours were engaged in a four-day cross-border conflict."

"This 78-year-old bitter history has fuelled the sporting rivalry, which has at times led to tournament boycotts, cancelled matches and ground invasions. Players from both teams have often been involved in heated encounters on the field, but have also publicly shared lighter moments off it. However, the lingering hostility of the last conflict has made a severe and long-term impact on cricket, which is the most widely followed sport in South Asia."

"The controversy began when India's Suryakumar Yadav opted out of the customary pre-toss captains' handshake with Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha, prompting fans to wonder if politics were at play. The doubts were cleared at the end of the match when, after hitting the winning runs, Yadav and his batting partner Shivam Dube walked off the field without approaching the Pakistani captain and team for the traditional post-match handshakes."

India and Pakistan meet amid a politically charged T20 World Cup encounter shaped by decades of hostile relations and a recent May 2025 four-day cross-border conflict. The prolonged rivalry has previously produced tournament boycotts, cancelled matches and ground invasions, and has affected player conduct and fan reactions. On-field incidents have included pre-toss and post-match handshake refusals, with India's Suryakumar Yadav not participating in the customary pre-toss handshake and him and a batting partner walking off after victory without offering traditional post-match handshakes. Yadav later confirmed that his team planned not to shake hands, citing an April 22 attack.

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