IND Vs PAK, Asian Games Final: Shreyas Iyer Avoids Handshake With Pakistan Captain Sahibzada Farhan During Toss Time

India captain Shreyas Iyer and Pakistan skipper Sahibzada Farhan did not shake hands during the toss ahead of the men's cricket gold medal match at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday.

The two captains met for the toss before the highly anticipated India-Pakistan final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. However, the customary handshake between Iyer and Farhan was absent, continuing a pattern seen during recent India-Pakistan cricket encounters.

The development comes amid heightened attention around the sporting rivalry between the two neighbouring nations. India and Pakistan have not exchanged handshakes in recent cricket meetings, with the trend extending beyond cricket to some other sporting encounters between the countries.

The Asian Games final marks the first meeting between India and Pakistan in men's cricket at the continental event. India entered the title clash after defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the semi-final, while Pakistan secured their place in the final after beating Bangladesh by six wickets.

The gold medal clash is being played at Korogi Sports Park, with Iyer leading the Indian side and Farhan captaining Pakistan. The toss was scheduled for 9:30 AM IST, with the match beginning at 10:00 AM IST.

India are aiming to defend the men's cricket gold medal they won at the 2023 Asian Games, while Pakistan are competing in their first men's cricket final at the Asian Games.