Rohit Sharma shaking hands with Wasim Akram [Source: X]Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma attended the high-profile T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan. Under Suryakumar Yadav's leadership, India crushed Pakistan decisively by 61 runs at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While Ishan Kishan hammered a belligerent 77-run knock, the Indian bowling unit, led by Jasprit Bumrah, did a commendable job, restricting the Men in Green to 114 runs. Meanwhile, amid the riveting contest between bat and ball, what grabbed the limelight was Rohit Sharma's interaction with legendary Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram. Rohit Sharma interacts with Wasim Akram amid BCCI's 'no handshake' policy with PAK playersTalismanic Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma joined the Indian players in the dugout and interacted with them prior to the intriguing encounter against Pakistan. The veteran opener also interacted with Wasim Akram, shaking hands and hugging the legendary cricketer-turned-commentator ahead of the game. Notably, Rohit Sharma attended the match as the official ambassador of the ICC T20 World Cup. On the other hand, Wasim Akram was one of the high-profile names in the commentary panel. Nehr_who? @Nher_who Here is Wasim Akram and Rohit Sharma showing what Sportsmanship looks like. Legends exchanged Hugs and handshakes with smiles. This is how it should be in the ground, let the Bhkts and Govt. cry in the corner #INDvsPAK Feb 16, 2026, 7:18 AM Although these two veterans weren't directly involved in the India vs Pakistan match, their friendly interaction grabbed the headlines, with players from both countries avoiding shaking hands with each other amid the strained geopolitical ties between the neighbouring countries. As Rohit Sharma still has a BCCI Central Contract, his interaction with Wasim Akram made fans wonder whether the Indian cricketing body will sanction him for breaking the 'no handshake' policy. Will BCCI punish Rohit Sharma for shaking hands with Wasim Akram?However, it's worth noting that although Rohit Sharma is still a BCCI-contracted player, he attended the India vs Pakistan match as the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 ambassador. So, he didn't shake hands with Wasim Akram as a member of the Indian playing XI, thereby not practically breaking the BCCI policy. Furthermore, Wasim Akram was present as a commentator, while the BCCI bars the players from shaking hands with the Pakistani players. So, the interaction between him and Rohit wasn't a breach of the BCCI protocol. Therefore, although Rohit grabbed the fans' attention by shaking hands with Akram in a time when politics is significantly affecting the cricketing ties, the BCCI is unlikely to sanction him for the act. India steamroll Pakistan to enter T20 World Cup Super EightsTalking about the match, India marched into the Super Eights following a thumping win over Pakistan. Salman Ali Agha won the toss and invited the Indian team to bat first on a slightly tacky wicket. The move paid rich dividends for the Men in Green, as they got rid of Abhishek Sharma in the very first over. However, Ishan Kishan came out of the syllabus for Pakistan, playing a match-winning knock of 77 runs. His power-hitting ensured India posted a challenging total of 175 runs on the board on a pitch that had significant assistance for the spin bowlers. In response, Pakistan were bundled out for 114 runs despite Usman Khan's brave knock, with Bumrah, Pandya, Axar and Varun Chakravarthy dismantling the Men in Green.
