India, Bangladesh Captains Skip Handshake At ICC Under-19 World Cup Toss

The captains of India and Bangladesh created a rare scene at the ICC Under-19 World Cup by avoiding the customary handshake at the toss.

The Group A match took place at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Saturday and attracted attention for the unusual pre-match conduct.

India’s skipper Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh’s vice-captain Zawad Abrar came out for the toss but refrained from exchanging greetings, hinting at the prevailing tension between the neighbouring countries.

Pre-match proceedings were briefly disrupted as drizzle delayed the toss by more than 15 minutes. Once play conditions improved, Bangladesh won the toss and decided to field first against India.

After completing their toss interviews, both captains returned to their respective dressing rooms without any interaction, further underlining the visible distance between the two sides.

The incident follows a pattern seen in recent tournaments involving Indian teams.

During the Men’s Asia Cup in September 2025, the Indian men’s side avoided handshakes with Pakistan players across all three matches.

The team also declined to accept the tournament trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who simultaneously serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister.

The approach has not been limited to men’s cricket alone.

In the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur followed the same no-handshake stance.

Similarly, during last month’s Under-19 Asia Cup, the Indian team maintained the policy in their group-stage match against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Rising Tensions Beyond the Field

Relations between India and Bangladesh have also witnessed a strain in recent months due to developments beyond cricket. Tensions escalated following violence linked to the death of a Bangladeshi student leader and the lynching of a Hindu man.

These events spilt over into cricket administration, affecting ties between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

The situation intensified when IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rehman from their squad following directions from the Indian board.

In response, the Bangladesh Cricket Board initially refused to issue a no-objection certificate for the pacer to participate in the IPL.

The BCB later approached the ICC, seeking to shift their T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka over security concerns.

The no-handshake moment at the Under-19 World Cup has now added another layer to the evolving cricketing and diplomatic strain between the two nations.

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