The India vs. Pakistan match had been the center of all controversies in the 2025 Asia Cup, and the heat kind of settled for the Indian fans, as the Indian captain Surykumar Yadav denied to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. But who initiated this soft protest? Before the match started there were reports circulating that the players, including Suryakumar Yadav, had approached the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and other members of the support staff to know how to react to the boycott calls. A report from Telecom Asia Sport said that it was Gambhir's idea to not engage with the Pakistani players. As per the report, Gambhir strictly prohibited the players from chatting or even shaking hands with the Pakistan players. Gambhir, as quoted by the report, said, "Cut down on social media, stop reading the noise. Your job is to play for India. Don't forget what happened in Pahalgam. Don't shake hands, don't engage — just go out, show your best, and win for India." Read also: Ind-W vs Aus-W 2025 ODI series: Aus captain provides update on Ellyse Perry's injury Gambhir expressed solidaritywith Pahalgam victims Following the seven-wicket win against Pakistan, India's head coach, Gambhir, said that the team stands with the Pahalgam victims. He even acknowledge the contributions of the Indian Armed Forces and said, "Good win. There is still a lot of cricket left in this tournament. This match was important as we wanted to show solidarity with the victims and their families and what they went through during the Pahalgam attack. More importantly, we want to thank the Indian army for their successful Operation Sindoor. We will try to make our country proud and happy." Gautam Gambhir Thanks to Armed forces and we try and make the country proud... Indian cricket team have No Handshake with the pakistani players Also... pic.twitter.com/auO6YF3Xiy — Ankur Kashyap (@ankurs000) September 14, 2025 Suryakumar too, after the match, acknowledged the sacrifices of IAF and dedicated the win to them. Surya said, "We stand with the victims' families of the Pahalgam terror attack, express our solidarity, and dedicate today’s win to the armed forces."