Bangladesh and India U-19 Captains Skip Handshake Before Match

In an unusual moment before the U-19 World Cup match between Bangladesh and India, the captains of both teams, Jowad Abrar and Ayush Matre, did not shake hands during the coin toss. Typically, it is customary for the captains to engage in this gesture of sportsmanship before a match, but on this occasion, both players refrained from doing so.

Jowad Abrar, the vice-captain of Bangladesh, took the responsibility of the coin toss, replacing the captain in this instance. However, no handshake occurred between him and India’s Ayush Matre. While the exact reason for the absence of the handshake remains unclear, it is widely speculated that the growing tensions between India and Bangladesh recently could be a contributing factor.

This incident mirrors similar occurrences in the past, such as during the Asia Cup, where political tensions led to no handshakes between Indian and Pakistani cricketers during their matches.

The strained relationship between India and Bangladesh began to escalate after Bangladesh’s star pacer, Mustafizur Rahman, was controversially removed from the IPL. Kolkata Knight Riders had bought him for ₹9.2 crore but decided to release him after protests from Hindu nationalist groups.
 

Following this, Bangladesh refused to play the T20 World Cup in India, demanding that their matches be moved outside the country. Despite ongoing discussions with the ICC, no resolution has been reached, leading to a delegation from the ICC visiting Bangladesh to discuss security concerns and potential venue changes.