Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has broken his silence on the ongoing handshake controversy that has marred recent cricket encounters between India and Pakistan. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, December 29, 2025, Naqvi stated that while the belief is to keep politics out of sports, Pakistan will not initiate handshakes if the Indian team is unwilling.
"Cricket and Politics Should Remain Separate"
Naqvi revealed that the stance of separating sports from diplomacy has high-level backing. "Our belief remains the same even today, and believe me, the Prime Minister himself has told me twice that we shouldn’t let politics come into all of this," Naqvi told reporters. He emphasized that from the beginning, Pakistan's position has been that cricket and politics should remain distinct entities.
However, he pointed to a specific incident involving former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as an example of the attitude Pakistan has faced. This has led to a firm, reciprocal policy. "If they don’t want to shake hands, then we have no particular desire to do so either," Naqvi declared. "Whatever happens, it will happen on an equal footing with India." He assured that this approach of parity would continue in the future, ruling out any one-sided concessions.
The Asia Cup Trophy Controversy
The friction reached a new peak during the Asia Cup final in September 2025, where India defeated Pakistan by five wickets. The victory ceremony was delayed by over an hour due to a significant protest. The Indian team refused to accept the winners' trophy and their individual medals from Naqvi, who was presenting them in his capacity as the Asian Cricket Council chief.
This boycott was a direct response to posts shared by Naqvi on social media platform X before the final. One post, titled 'Final Day', featured Pakistani cricketers like captain Salman Ali Agha and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in flight suits with images of fighter jets in the background. Earlier in the tournament, Naqvi had also posted an image of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo depicting a crashing plane, which was seen as provocative.
A Stance Forged in Recent History
The tradition of not shaking hands between the two rival teams began after the Pahalgam attack. Since that event, every cricket match in multi-nation tournaments has seen the gesture omitted. This includes:
- The Asia Cup in September 2025
- The Women's World Cup in October 2025
- The recently concluded Under-19 Asia Cup tournament
Following the Asia Cup final snub, the Indian team celebrated by lifting an imaginary trophy and posting trophy emojis online. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) claimed that Naqvi subsequently took the physical trophy and medals away.
Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister, holds a unique triple role influencing this high-stakes sports diplomacy. His latest comments solidify that the on-field cold war between the two cricketing giants is set to persist, with both sides now officially adopting a policy of mirrored actions, ensuring no side is seen as backing down.
