The handshake controversy between India and Pakistan continued to intensify a week after the Dubai flashpoint, with India head coach Gautam Gambhir now at the centre of the storm.
Following India&rsquo;s Super Four victory over Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, Gambhir instructed his players to acknowledge only the match officials, deliberately excluding the opposition from the post-match ritual.
The row first surfaced at the toss when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav bypassed Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, heading straight to presenter Ravi Shastri before greeting match referee Andy Pycroft. 
Later, after India&rsquo;s win, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya &mdash; who sealed the chase with seven balls to spare &mdash; skipped the customary handshake entirely and walked straight into the dressing room.
Soon after, Gambhir ordered his players back onto the field to shake hands only with the umpires, leaving Pakistan visibly surprised as they were ignored again. 
Gambhir later reinforced the message on Instagram, posting a team picture with the caption &ldquo;Fearless.&rdquo;
On the cricketing front, India&rsquo;s authority was stamped by openers Shubman Gill (47) and Abhishek Sharma (74), who put together a blazing 105-run stand off 59 deliveries, dismantling Pakistan&rsquo;s attack and setting up a smooth chase of 172.
India will next face Bangladesh on Wednesday, while Pakistan are set for a must-win clash against Sri Lanka on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. 
With India just one step away from the Asia Cup final on September 28, Pakistan now face a do-or-die situation to keep their hopes alive.

Indian cricketers skip Pakistan handshake in Dubai

Gambhir tells Indian players to greet only officials, ignoring Pakistan after Dubai clash

India-Pakistan Handshake Row Escalates In Dubai

Gambhir tells Indian players to greet only officials, ignoring Pakistan after Dubai clash

September 22, 2025 | 15:18 IST