According to a Hindustan Times report, the instruction to not shake hands with Pakistani players came from 'above'. Captain Suryakumar Yadav neither performed the formality of shaking hands with the Pakistani captain during the toss nor did the Indian players perform the ritual after the match.

Before the match with Pakistan in the Asia Cup on Sunday, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Pakistani captain Salman Aga during the toss. Aga also did not take any initiative and after the toss both returned to their respective dressing rooms. But even after the match was over, the Indian captain and players did not shake hands with the Pakistani players. The Pakistanis kept waiting, but after giving the team a six-wicket win, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dubey headed straight to the dressing room. Now it has come to light that this decision was not Surya's, but the order came from 'above'.

After Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dubey returned to the dressing room without shaking hands, Pakistani captain Salman Ali Aga and coach Mike Hesson also came towards the Indian dressing room. When no Indian player came to shake hands, they returned. After that, the Pakistani captain boycotted the post-match interview. The Pakistani coach held a press conference and appealed for sportsmanship. He lodged his formal protest with the referee on the Indian team's move.

According to the Hindustan Times report, the decision to not shake hands with the Pakistani players was influenced by the BCCI and the government. This is a clear message to Pakistan that playing the match means extending a hand of friendship or giving some such indication.

Earlier on Tuesday, the captains of all the eight teams attended the pre-tournament press conference. At that time, Suryakumar Yadav shook hands with Asian Cricket Council and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi as a courtesy. Not only this, while leaving the stage, he also shook hands with Pakistani captain Agha. There was a very strong reaction on social media in India to that. During Operation Sindoor, Naqvi had threatened of a nuclear attack on India. After the pictures and videos of Surya shaking hands with him surfaced, the demand for boycott of the match and Asia Cup on social media had gained momentum.