LAHORE – Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson on Sunday voiced disappointment after the Indian team declined to shake hands with Pakistani players following their Asia Cup T20 match in Dubai.
Addressing a post-match press conference, Hesson said Pakistan’s players were ready to uphold cricket’s long-standing tradition of sportsmanship through the customary handshake, but the Indian side walked off the field towards the dressing room.
“Obviously, we were prepared to shake hands at the end of the game. It was disappointing that our opposition did not do so. We went forward for the handshake, but they were already heading back,” Hesson stated.
The coach noted that although Pakistan were not satisfied with their performance, the team had no hesitation in showing respect to their rivals. “It was a sad way to end the game,” he added.
Hesson also linked captain Salman Ali Agha’s absence from the post-match presentation to the atmosphere created by the incident, saying both he and Salman had approached the Indian camp but found no players present.
Handshakes after the match and between captains at the toss are considered a long-standing cricket tradition. However, the Indian team did not observe this practice.
India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the high-voltage Group A fixture.
