The diplomatic tension between Dhaka and New Delhi has spilled onto the cricket field, as the captains of the Bangladesh and India Under-19 teams refused to shake hands during the toss at the ICC U-19 World Cup on Saturday in Zimbabwe.
In a scene reminiscent of recent India-Pakistan encounters, Bangladesh acting captain Jawad Abrar and India captain Ayush Mhatre visibly avoided each other at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
While it remains unclear which team initiated the break in protocol, the two leaders dispensed with the customary sporting gesture before Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field.
This incident mirrors the stance taken by India during the Asia Cup in September, where captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that his team would not shake hands with Pakistani players due to military conflicts.
The breakdown in on-field courtesies comes amid “cold relations” between the two nations and a deepening standoff regarding the upcoming senior Men's T20 World Cup.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) remains firm in its decision not to send the national team to India for the tournament in February, citing severe security risks.
Tensions escalated recently after Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the IPL due to security threats, a concern reportedly validated by the ICC’s own “Internal Threat Assessment Report”.
Source: UNB