Indian Players Told To Avoid Pakistani Net Bowlers Amid Handshake Controversy

DUBAI: The Indian team's management has clearly sent a message to its players to keep their distance from Pakistani net bowlers when they are practicing in the ICC Academy after the handshake row at the Asia Cup 2025.

The action follows the high-voltage confrontation between India and Pakistan that was surrounded by tense situations. Since the start, there was something strange about the game, since there was no customary handshake at the toss between the captains.

After the win, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube directly entered the dressing room, and the others were celebrating among themselves. Conversely, the players of Pakistan lined up for the traditional handshake only to witness the Indian team withdraw and shut their dressing room doors.

The incident caused a lot of controversy, and after the incident, the Indian management resolved to increase training ground rules. Players have been advised to avoid talking, taking pictures, or even any kind of interaction with Pakistani net bowlers.

Team practice sessions at the ICC Academy usually involve net bowlers from all around South Asia, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India. Special guidelines have, however, been implemented in this case so that the Indian players are not exposed to unnecessary contact.

The new policy is to be enforced by making net bowlers hand over their mobile phones prior to the start of training, after which they are not expected to get them back until the end of the practice.

The instruction is indicative of the increased sensitivity in terms of the Indo-Pak encounters that have occurred in the Asia Cup, where off-field issues have become as hot an affair as the on-field confrontations.