"As nationalistic rivalries go, few run as deep as India and Pakistan. But even as the neighbours fought wars against each other, carried out rival nuclear tests and conducted nightly shows of strength along their heavily militarised border, there was always one thing that brought them together: cricket. But as the two sides came together on Sunday for a match in the Asia Cup tournament, the camaraderie that was once celebrated as cricket diplomacy had vanished."
"Speaking after the match, India's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, said the decision not to shake hands had been a team call. We had come only to play, Yadav told Indian media. Some things are beyond sportsmanship. We dedicate this victory to our armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor and stand with families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack."
India and Pakistan met in an Asia Cup match amid heightened bilateral tensions. The Indian team walked off the field after a crushing victory and did not shake hands with Pakistan. The match was the first encounter since India accused Pakistan of masterminding a deadly terror attack in Kashmir in April that killed 26 people; Pakistan denied involvement. India launched a military response and fired missiles into Pakistan, triggering days of tit-for-tat hostilities. India's captain said the handshake decision was a team call and dedicated the win to armed forces and victims' families. Pakistan's captain skipped the ceremony and Pakistan lodged a complaint with the ICC.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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