For years, India and Pakistan’s matches in cricket were called ‘too friendly’. The countries are historic political rivals who once shared fierce competitiveness and strife on the fields of not just cricket, but other sports, too.

However, after the Venkatesh Prasad and then the Gautam Gambhir eras ended, and the political atmosphere remained generally calm, the cricketers behaved jovially on the field, too, sharing moments that made them look like genuine friends. The 2025 Asia Cup upended that completely.

With a backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Operation Sindoor, Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts when the sides met in the group stage. It caused a huge meltdown on the West of the border, with boycotts galore, from post-match presentati

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