Another India vs Pakistan match is on the horizon, and of course, it’s stirring up controversy that’s bound to make headlines. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly urged players from both teams to set aside their political differences and share a handshake after their game at the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup 2025. The two rivals are set to clash in Dubai on December 14, with India’s U-19 squad featuring captain Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The ‘handshake saga’ has overshadowed the actual cricket during the Men’s Asia Cup 2025, turning the focus away from the game itself. In their previous three encounters against Pakistan during their Asia Cup-winning run, the BCCI instructed players not to shake hands with any Pakistani players. This decision was made as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred in May. ICC aims to avoid handshake controversy PTI reports that the ICC has told the BCCI not to proceed with any intended plan to avoid handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts. “The boys haven’t been told anything. But obviously BCCI has given explicit instructions to its manager Anand Datar. Now if Indian boys don’t shake hands with Pakistan team then match referee will have to be informed in advance. We know for a fact that ICC doesn’t want politics to take front seat when it comes to junior cricket. So it is a case of both bad optics and public sentiment,” Also Read | IPL 2026 Mini-Auction: When, Where & How Players Can Register As mentioned, the handshake controversy kicked off when India informed match referee Andy Pycroft that they wouldn’t be shaking hands with any Pakistani players after their group match in the Asia Cup. This trend continued at the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Asia Cup as well. Now, the ICC is keen to put an end to this ongoing drama and hopes to promote sportsmanship. However, the decision now rests with the BCCI. India’s Under-19 team manager Anand Datar and head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar have been tasked with making a call before the match. When it comes to the Under-19 Asia Cup, the excitement is building as the tournament is set to kick off on December 12. Here are the groups for the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup. Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Malaysia Group B: Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal