In a rare and heartwarming pre-match moment at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Colombo, former India captain Rohit Sharma shared a warm hug and handshake with Pakistani cricket great Wasim Akram before the high-voltage India vs Pakistan encounter on Sunday. The clip, widely circulated on social media, quickly became one of the most talked-about visuals surrounding the marquee clash.
Rohit, in Colombo as an official ambassador of the T20 World Cup, mingled with members of the Indian camp and support staff well before the game started. Amid intense build-up and continuing tensions between the two teams, marked notably by the absence of customary handshakes between the playing squads, his interaction with Akram offered a contrasting display of camaraderie.
The hug between Rohit and Akram stood out not just for its warmth, but for its symbolic tone ahead of one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries. While the Indian and Pakistani teams themselves maintained a muted formality, with no handshake at the toss in line with longstanding decisions by the Indian side, the former players’ exchange reminded fans of the sport’s shared history and respect that underlies even the fiercest contests.
Once the match began, however, the focus shifted sharply back to competition. India put on a dominant performance, securing a convincing 61-run victory over Pakistan, a result that further underlined the team’s strong form in the tournament.
