Colombo, February 14 Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha remained non-committal about whether his team would shake hands with India before their T20 World Cup match here on Sunday, but said he expects players from both teams to uphold the spirit of the game.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav had announced in Dubai last September during the Asia Cup that his team would not shake hands with Pakistan as a mark of respect for the Indian citizens who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year. The decision was also described as a gesture of solidarity with the Indian Army during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
It is understood that the same protocol is likely to be followed on Sunday, with neither captain expected to shake hands at the toss or at the end of the match.
"We will see about it tomorrow," Agha said on whether the custom will be followed.
With tension prevailing around the game after Pakistan's initial boycott, the captain wanted to steer clear of any controversies and said that he would like both teams to adhere to the spirit of cricket.
"I expect the game should be played in the spirit it has always been played since its inception," Agha said.
