India coach Gautam Gambhir instructed Suryakumar Yadav and his team to greet only the umpires after Super Four win, leaving Pakistan confused.
Handshake Controversy Escalates with Gambhir’s Directive
The India-Pakistan handshake saga took a new turn on Sunday, refusing to fade even a week after the Dubai flashpoint. This time, India head coach Gautam Gambhir became the center of attention. Following India’s Super Four victory at the Dubai International Stadium, Gambhir reportedly instructed Suryakumar Yadav and his team to greet only the umpires, deliberately excluding Pakistan.
Earlier, at the toss, Suryakumar had avoided shaking hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, heading straight to presenter Ravi Shastri before acknowledging match referee Andy Pycroft.
The post-match scene followed a similar pattern. Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, who steered India to victory with seven balls to spare, walked directly to the dressing room, skipping the customary handshake with Pakistan. Gambhir was then seen directing the Indian players to greet the match officials, who walked onto the field, shook hands with the umpires, and returned to their dressing room—leaving the Pakistani team visibly confused.
🗣️ Arey umpire se to mil loo!!
— KKR Karavan (@KkrKaravan) September 21, 2025
Gautam Gambhir invited the Indian players to exchange handshakes—but only with the umpires 😂pic.twitter.com/iBkdhye87j
Gambhir Hails India’s “Fearless” Performance
Gautam Gambhir took to Instagram after India’s Super Four victory over Pakistan, sharing a visual of Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and the rest of the team, captioning it with a single word: “Fearless.”
Looking ahead, India will face Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday, while Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan side takes on Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. A win for India against Bangladesh could nearly guarantee a place in the final, while Pakistan will be fighting for survival.
Earlier in the Super Four, Bangladesh secured a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Dubai. The top two teams from the Super Four stage will clash in the final on September 28 in Dubai.
