Tharoor Slams India-Pakistan Handshake Snubs in Asia Cup 2025
Tharoor Criticizes Handshake Snubs Between India and Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025
New Delhi – The Asia Cup 2025 saw tense moments on and off the field as Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and other players repeatedly avoided handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts, igniting debates over sportsmanship amid political tensions.
Speaking to ANI, Congress leader and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor reflected on the historical relationship between sports and diplomacy, citing the 1999 Kargil War as an example of how teams have managed to uphold the spirit of the game even during conflict.
“I personally feel that once the decision has been made to play, we should play in the spirit of the game,” Tharoor said. “If we feel so strongly about Pakistan, we shouldn’t have agreed to play them at all. But if we do, then we must shake hands.”
Tharoor recalled the 1999 Cricket World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, which took place while soldiers were fighting in Kargil. “Even on the very day our soldiers were dying for the country, we played Pakistan in Manchester. And yes, we shook hands then too—because the spirit of the game is different from what’s going on between countries and armies,” he said.
The former diplomat also commented on Pakistan’s apparent retaliation, with their team also skipping handshakes in a later match. “If the Pakistani team, having been insulted the first time, decided to return the insult, it only shows that the spirit of the game is lacking on both sides. But certainly, we need not have initiated it,” Tharoor noted.
“Once we have decided to play them, we should play like normal,” he added, emphasizing the importance of keeping politics separate from sportsmanship.
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