India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026: Match Confirmed, No-Handshake Policy to Continue
Pakistan will play India at the T20 World Cup 2026 after several days of tension, talks behind the scenes, and political issues. However, one thing will stay the same. Unless something unexpected happens at the last moment, Indian and Pakistani players will not shake hands when they face each other in Colombo on February 15.
The no-handshake rule between India and Pakistan did not start at this World Cup. It began during last year’s Asia Cup, when Indian players left the field without shaking hands after defeating Pakistan. At the time, it stood out, but it wasn’t a one-off. India and Pakistan played three games at that tournament and they didn’t shake hands at all.
India–Pakistan Match to Go Ahead, No-Handshake Policy to Continue
Team India declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC and PCB’s head Mohsin Naqvi. A similar principle was used at subsequent meetings for all tournaments, including the Women’s World Cup, ACC Rising Stars event, and most recently the Under-19 World Cup when India and Pakistan did not greet with each other.
The Indian board has consistently held that handshakes are customs and not an obligation; there is nothing expressly stated in the rules or regulations that requires players to greet each other. The position from the Board has been the same for every match between India and Pakistan to date. This will also apply throughout the upcoming T20 World Cup game as well.
The disposition of handshaking with India was an issue discussed at a meeting of Pakistan Cricket Board officials with ICC representatives in Lahore last Sunday. PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, was said to have asked for players and support staff members to re-instate handshaking as part of a “sporting gesture”.
As indicated by Revsportz, the ICC appears to find stepping in on this matter not particularly desirable. The MCC’s Spirit of Cricket does not refer at all to rituals but rather emphasizes respect. Therefore, handshaking is only a convention and has no force under the rules. Thus, India would be very much entitled to continue its ‘no contact’ policy based on its position taken following the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
