India, Pakistan hockey teams’ high fives: welcome gesture, what next?

It was a pre-match, normal ritual of India and Pakistan’s Under-21 hockey teams exchanging high fives at the Sultan of Johor Cup clash in Johor Bahru, Malaysia which has become the talking point over last two days. The moment stood out after all the rancour and strained sporting relationship between the two countries on the cricket pitch for the past month.

The players greeted each other after the national anthems of both countries were played on Tuesday – and social media were quick to jump on screenshots of the gesture. Only last week, their women’s cricket teams avoided handshakes ahead of their league game at the ICC Women’s World Cup in Colombo as an aftermath of the handshake controversy during the Men’s Asia Cup in the UAE.

The exchange at the Sultan of Johor Cup followed a directive from Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), which reportedly instructed its players to stay composed and avoid unnecessary confrontations with their Indian counterparts. A PHF official had told PTI: “The players have been told that if the Indian players don’t shake hands before or after the match, just ignore the gesture and move on. They have also been told to avoid any emotional tussles or signs during the game.”

A welcome gesture as it may be, it’s too early to say whether the goodwill gesture will filter into other sport – especially in cricket where optics go a long way in creating public perception. Incidentally, Pakistan had earlier withdrawn from the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, citing scheduling and logistical concerns. Their participation in the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup in India remains uncertain with the neighbours drawn in the same group.

The handshake controversy began with India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan during the coin toss and post-match in their first Asia Cup match on 14 September, a move that sparked outrage in Pakistan. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav later explained that the gesture was a tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, dedicating the victory to them and the Indian armed forces. Head coach Gautam Gambhir had also weighed in on the subject – making it a clear act of weaponization of a victory on the pitch.

Pakistan responded by lodging a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Indian players for their conduct. India responded with a complaint against Pakistan players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for making provocative gestures during their second league match.

The situation spiralled during the trophy presentation ceremony after the final where India won a thriller. The Men in Blue refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi, also Pakistan's interior minister, leading to a delayed and ultimately incomplete ceremony. The trophy was removed from the podium without a formal handover – and it hasn’t been handed over nearly three weeks after the event.

Click here to read article