Suryakumar Keeps Handshake Decision Under Wraps Ahead of India-Pakistan Clash

India captain Suryakumar Yadav has kept the suspense alive over whether he will shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Agha during their high-voltage T20 World Cup 2026 encounter on Sunday in Colombo.

Addressing the media on the eve of the match, Suryakumar declined to reveal his stance on the pre-match handshake, smiling as he fielded repeated questions on the subject.

“Wait for 24 hours,” he said when first asked about the matter. “Why are you speculating now? We have come here to play cricket, we’ll play good cricket. We will take the call [on handshake] later. Dine well, sleep.”

Pressed again for clarity, the Indian captain reiterated his position. “I will break the suspense tomorrow. I just said wait for 24 hours, we will play a good game and then after the game… what is important tomorrow? The game is important.” When reminded that captains typically shake hands at the toss, he responded, “We will see that at the toss.”

Earlier in the day, Pakistan captain Agha had expressed similar caution but said he expected both teams to uphold the spirit of cricket, particularly in the aftermath of the handshake controversy during the 2025 Asia Cup.

Suryakumar acknowledged the magnitude of the occasion, admitting that an India-Pakistan clash brings unique emotions. “There will be pressure, nerves, butterflies in the stomach,” he said. “When you play an India-Pakistan game, it is more about the occasion. It is a platform. You can say what you want, like it’s just another game. But you know which game you are going to play. And we don’t play them often regularly.”

India hold a dominant record over Pakistan in World Cups and in recent Asia Cup editions. During the 2025 Asia Cup — where India defeated Pakistan three times, including in the final — Suryakumar had remarked that he did not believe the rivalry remained as intense as before. On Saturday, however, he stressed the importance of starting afresh.

“You have to start from zero,” he said. “What you did in the past, historically, you can’t carry that to the ground because then sometimes it can lead to complacency. You might go ahead of the game. If you want to be in control and want to keep a relaxed mind, then you have to always have a fresh start.

“Personally, I feel that will be a better approach for us tomorrow — to treat it as a fresh game, a normal league game we have come to play in a T20 World Cup. Because then you stay fresh, take good calls and stay relaxed.”

Suryakumar also revealed he had followed Pakistan’s recent wins against Netherlands and USA, praising Agha’s side for playing “good cricket.” While acknowledging that Pakistan may enjoy a slight advantage from playing all their matches in Colombo, he downplayed its impact.

“They might have a little bit of advantage, but it’s not massive,” he said, adding that India have considerable experience at the R. Premadasa Stadium from previous tours.

With anticipation building ahead of one of cricket’s most watched rivalries, the focus — at least publicly — remains on the contest itself, even as the handshake question lingers until toss time.