COLOMBO: Will the lingering shadow of the ‘no handshake’ controversy that continues to hang over Indo-Pak relations with cricket be stopped, or will it refuse to fade away?
What started during the high-voltage Asia Cup clashes has now become a topic of diplomatic conversation in Colombo, where uncertainty persists despite an agreement between stakeholders brokered by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
It is not yet clear whether that understanding includes a reversal of the controversial stance of not shaking hands before and after the game. Sources within the cricket fraternity say there is no official word yet on any revised protocol.
Even Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials have maintained a studied silence, neither confirming nor denying whether a thaw is expected in the icy pre-match formalities.
On the other hand, visiting Indian journalists have been candid. According to a senior Calcutta journalist, the above position is unlikely to change. “The no-handshake policy is likely to continue. Jay Shah cannot easily deviate from it as it may not sit well politically at home,” he said, referring to the influential figure within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The issue, he suggested, is no longer just a question of cricket etiquette, but has a political undertone that makes flexibility difficult.
Originally published in The News
