No Handshake Yet Again: India vs. Pakistan Clash in Under-19 World Cup 2026
In a much-anticipated match during the Under-19 World Cup 2026, India and Pakistan maintained their “no-handshake” tradition on the cricket field. The two rival teams met in Match 12 of the Super Six stage on Sunday, February 1, at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
As the captains, Ayush Mhatre of India and Farhan Yousaf of Pakistan approached the toss, they again chose not to shake hands, sticking to a practice that has become quite common in their encounters. This “no-handshake” policy first started during the Asia Cup 2025 when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav set the tone by skipping the handshake with Pakistan’s Salman Agha. Both teams have since followed this approach in various tournaments, including the Under-19 Asia Cup.
Match Updates: India vs. Pakistan
Earlier in this World Cup, Ayush Mhatre also didn’t shake hands with Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Zawad Abrar at the toss. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board later explained that the incident was unintentional. They stated that Zawad, who was substituting for an ill captain, simply forgot the gesture and meant no disrespect.
Vedant Trivedi Shines in India’s Innings
In the match, India batted first but struggled initially, being bowled out for 252 runs in 49.5 overs. They lost three early wickets, with Vaibhav Suryavanshi making 30 runs off 22 balls before falling short of converting his start. Both Aaron George (16 runs) and Ayush Mhatre (0 runs) also went out quickly, putting India in a tricky position.
However, Vedant Trivedi played a crucial role by scoring 68 runs off 98 balls, stabilizing India’s innings. Contributions from RS Ambrish (29 runs off 38 balls) and Kanishk Chouhan (35 runs off 29 balls) helped the team reach a competitive total.
For Pakistan, Abdul Subhan stood out with the ball, claiming three wickets for just 33 runs in 9.5 overs. Mohammad Sayyam also made his mark with two wickets, ending with figures of 2/69. With this loss, Pakistan needs a strong victory in their next game to enhance their chances of making it to the semi-finals.
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