"Wait for 24 Hours": Suryakumar Deflects Handshake Drama Before Pakistan Showdown

India captain Suryakumar Yadav kept the spotlight on preparation rather than controversy as he addressed the much-discussed pre-match greeting debate ahead of the high-voltage clash against Pakistan at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Colombo.

Responding to repeated media queries, widely framed as Surya on Handshake Question, the Indian skipper chose calm over confrontation. He avoided fueling the narrative and instead stressed routine, recovery, and match focus in the final build-up window.

“Wait for 24 hours. Eat well, sleep well, we will see tomorrow,” he told reporters, keeping his answer brief and measured.

The comment came amid renewed chatter around India–Pakistan on-field etiquette following incidents in the Asia Cup, where post-match handshakes between the rivals did not take place in multiple games. 

With tensions and history adding weight to every interaction, the topic has again surfaced before their World Cup meeting.

Yadav also responded with humor when asked about Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha expressing hope that opener Abhishek Sharma would be fit for selection. Sharma had missed the previous outing due to illness.

“If Salman wants us to play Abhishek tomorrow, we shall play him,” Yadav said with a smile, easing the room.

On team performance, the Indian captain admitted the batting unit had not delivered to its own standards in an earlier fixture and called for clearer individual plans on tricky surfaces. He said pressure is unavoidable in marquee contests, especially when the two sides meet after long gaps.

“There’s always pressure. With India–Pakistan, it’s more of an occasion,” he noted, adding that emotional weight is natural despite professional experience.

As anticipation builds, the pre-match noise continues, but India’s captain appears determined to keep the conversation anchored to cricket.