IND vs PAK | Suryakumar Yadav refuses handshake with Pakistan captain: what happened at toss?

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to bat first in the high-stakes Asia Cup Group A clash against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The pre-match formalities produced a striking moment as the two captains did not exchange a handshake after the toss, setting an unusually tense tone ahead of the contest.

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The decision to bat first showed Pakistan’s desire to set a target on a dry surface, though history is not on their side. The last time a team won batting first under lights in Dubai in a match between two Full Member nations was back in November 2018, when Pakistan defeated New Zealand.


Explaining his decision, Salman said: “Going to bat first. We've been playing good cricket, very excited. Looks like a slow wicket. Just want to bat first and put runs on the board. Same side. Have been here for 20-odd days and are used to the conditions.”

India, meanwhile, were content to bowl first, banking on conditions improving later in the evening. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav noted the potential role of dew. “We were looking to bowl first, happy with it. We played just one strip away, was a nice wicket and better to bat on in the night. It's humid so hoping for some dew. Same team,” he said.

Both sides have opted for spin-heavy line-ups, reflecting their respective readings of the pitch. While Pakistan want scoreboard pressure, India believe chasing under the lights will be more manageable.

With the toss done and tensions high, all eyes now turn to whether Pakistan’s gamble will finally break the long-standing Dubai night-game trend.

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