No Handshake between India U19 and Pakistan U19 - (Source: X)
On Sunday, November 8, India U19 and Pakistan U19 sides locked horns in the Under-19 ODI Asia Cup match in Oman. India captain Lakshya Raichandani won the toss and opted to bat first. More than the decision, eyes were on the two captains: whether the no-handshake tradition would continue or the fans were in for a surprise.
As expected, Lakshya Raichandani made sure the no-handshake policy continues, and he ignored his Pakistani counterpart after the coin flip. The clip is now doing the rounds on the internet and has reignited the same debate that has been going on when India take on Pakistan across formats.
India u19 captain Ignores his Pakistani counterpart At Toss
Pakistan is being led by Farhan Yousuf, and it seems that the Pakistan captain was aware of what might come his way, which is why there was no fuss regarding the same. Right after the coin flip, Lakshay interacted with the toss presenter and headed back to the pavilion.
Notably, it is not the first time that the under-19 side has complied to BCCI's policy of no-handshake against Pakistan team in ICC events. Even before, Ayush Mhatre did the same during 2025 Under-19 World Cup.
Why Do India and Pakistan Maintain A No Handshake Policy?
The issue dates back to April 2025, when a Pakistan-backed terror group killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam, Kashmir. It led to a huge uproar, and the Indian Army retaliated with precise air strikes at terror camps in Pakistan. Eventually, India banned entertainment, cricket and even social media handles of the neighbouring country.
The tensions were at an all-time high, and the two nations were on the verge of a war before the ceasefire was announced. Eventually, India and Pakistan locked horns in the Asia Cup 2025, where Gautam Gambhir and his men decided to honour the Indian Army’s effort and refused shaking hands with Salman Agha and his men.
It led to a huge uproar, and questions were raised about mixing sports with politics. Despite the off-field debate, India maintained the tradition throughout.
Since then, the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 saw the same, followed by Ayush Mhatre and his side also respecting the policy started by the senior team.
