Suryakumar Yadav faces backlash over handshake with Mohsin Naqvi

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has come under intense criticism for shaking hands with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). 

The handshake, which occurred after the conclusion of the Asia Cup 2025 captains’ conference on Tuesday, has sparked strong reactions on social media and in the Indian press.

A video yesterday circulated online shows Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and Suryakumar exchanging pleasantries and shaking hands during the pre-tournament event. 

After the interaction, social media users criticised the Indian captain, with comments like, “Shaking hands with Pakistan’s Interior Minister is completely disrespectful” and “They have harmed our people, and he [Suryakumar] is shaking hands with them.”

Indian media outlets also highlighted the incident prominently, reflecting the widespread online backlash. 

Some users pointed out that Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, has made controversial statements against India in the past, adding fuel to the criticism.

During the pre-tournament press conference, both Salman and Suryakumar emphasised that they would not instruct their players to tone down aggression during matches between the two arch-rivals.

It is pertinent to mention that the men in blue will open their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against the UAE on Wednesday at the Dubai International Stadium and will face Pakistan at the same venue on September 14.