India vs Pakistan: Once again, the no-handshake policy continued in cricket’s most bitter rivalry as India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games 2026 final. Moreover, the medal ceremony was delayed until the ICC chairman, Jay Shah, emerged to hand over the accolade to the winning side.
The men-in-blue under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy defended their gold medal on Saturday (October 03) at the Korogi Sports Park. However, the most uncomfortable moment India and Pakistan faced was during the podium placement or group photograph.
Apart from the no-handshake moment and delayed ceremony, Pakistan’s on-field controversial gestures highlighted its deteriorating relationship with its neighbouring nation.
Handshake Once Again Avoided In IND vs PAK Cricket Match
There was no handshake between the Indian and Pakistani players either during the toss or at the end of the match. Team India shook hands with the on-field umpires after the game, walked around the ground to thank the fans before returning to the dressing room.
The missing pattern of traditional handshakes has been followed in India vs Pakistan matches since the men’s Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai. A similar pattern was followed by the female counterparts when they faced off against Pakistan during the ODI World Cup 2025, T20 World Cup and Asia Cup in 2026.
Contrarily, the Indian and Pakistani players of other sports like Table Tennis and Hockey had warmer exchanges of handshakes and smiles after the matches.
Saim Ayub’s Controversial Baby Celebration
After Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed in the third over of the game, Saim Ayub celebrated the wicket with a baby cradle pose and shaking his arms side by side. The Pakistani spin-bowling all-rounder’s gesture to mock Vaibhav became controversial.
Ayub faced backlash from fans on social media for making such a weird celebration towards the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi.
The Indian opener didn’t make any huge impact with the bat and scored just 15 runs off 9 balls (including 2 sixes) before Usman Khan took a brilliant catch in Ayub’s second over. Fortunately, there was no heated exchange of words between the Indian and Pakistani players throughout the game.
Fans and experts who believe in Karma witnessed the response instantly after mocking celebration against Sooryavanshi as cricket is one such game to create unexpected twists. Abhishek Sharma (61 runs) and Tilak Varma (51 runs) ripped apart Pakistan’s bowling attack to steer the team to 211/6 in 20 overs.
Delay in Asian Games 2026 Final Medal Ceremony
So far, there is no official reason provided for the delay in the Asian Games 2026 final medal ceremony. Also, there is no clarity about the last-minute change to the presentation event.
As per the reports, the logistical confusion and the strained political relationship between India and Pakistan could have caused a delay during the medal ceremony.
Jay Shah, the former BCCI chairman, was present during the grand final and handed over the gold medal to the Indian players.
Pakistan received their medal from the Mayor of Nisshin City and the local organizing committee. One of the presidents of the Sri Lanka Olympic Committee awarded the bronze medal to Sri Lanka.
After the final match, the medal ceremony was the most discussed topic in the cricket world as India and Pakistan collected their awards from different dignitaries.
Mohsin Naqvi’s Absence That Made a Big Difference
Pakistan’s interim minister and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, Mohsin Naqvi, didn’t attend the Asian Games 2026 final. Earlier, he confirmed his unavailability for the medal ceremony due to prior commitments.
However, fans on social media trolled Naqvi, claiming that he feared humiliation and wanted to make excuses to avoid being present at the high-profile rivalry.
Naqvi’s absence from the final in Japan avoided political, diplomatic, and awkward conflicts during the medal presentation ceremony.
Even though there was a delayed ceremony, India received their accolade and didn’t have any fear of receiving a gold medal from Naqvi.
Strange Moment During Group Photograph
Fans were eager to watch the group photograph, expecting the gold medallist India to stand in the middle, with runner-up Pakistan and bronze medal winner Sri Lanka positioned either side.
While Indian players celebrated their victorious moment on the podium, the entire Pakistan team appeared to be unsure about their position and had to step down from the podium after receiving the silver medal. Sri Lanka too adopted the same approach after receiving their bronze medal.
Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan stood in front of India for the official group photograph.
In contrast to the expectations, the post-match presentation concluded without a shared podium moment. The unusual arrangement became a highly debated point after the gold medal clash.