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NEW DELHI: "Wait for 24 hours," said Suryakumar Yadav with a grin.

"Wait till tomorrow," echoed his counterpart Salman Ali Agha. The burning question on everyone’s mind remained unanswered on Saturday as both captains stayed noncommittal about whether their teams would shake hands before or after the high-voltage T20 World Cup clash on Sunday.

India and Pakistan players have not shaken hands since last year’s Asia Cup in Dubai, staged in the aftermath of the Pahalgam massacre and the subsequent Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian Armed Forces.

Also READ: High Alert in Colombo! Special security in place for India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash

Captains Dodge the Handshake Question

When asked directly about the handshake, Surya, in his trademark relaxed style and flashing a wide smile, said: "Now wait for 24 hours for that. Why put so much focus on that? We have come to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls later tomorrow. Wait for it. Eat well and go to sleep."

“We will see about it tomorrow,” Agha offered a brief and cryptic reply when asked about the possibility of a handshake during the pre-match press conference on Saturday.

Spirit of the Game Under Spotlight

However, Agha made it clear that the ‘Spirit of the Game’ must remain intact regardless of the circumstances.

“Cricket should be played in (right) spirit. My personal opinion may not matter. But cricket should be played according to how it has always been meant to be played. It’s up to them to decide what to do,” Agha added.

Thoughtful Mood in Indian Camp

It is understood that the overall mood within the Indian camp ahead of Sunday’s fixture at the Premadasa has been measured rather than aggressive, with players leaving the final call to senior officials and prepared to follow whatever decision is taken.

At the same time, there is a sense of caution within the Indian set-up regarding public sentiment on social media, which has been intense in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and continues to run high.

ICC Invite for Asian Stakeholders

Bulbul to watch Indo-Pak match, meet BCCI officials

Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Aminul Islam, popularly known as Bulbul, had stated that he would travel to Colombo to watch the India-Pakistan encounter, where he is also expected to ease tensions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India following strained exchanges in recent weeks.

From the Indian side, BCCI president Mithun Manhas, secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla are likely to be present at the venue.

Speaking to Bangladesh newspaper Pratham Alo, Islam said the invitation for the marquee match had come from the International Cricket Council.

“The ICC has taken a decision. The major stakeholders of the ICC are these five Asian countries and for the India-Pakistan World Cup match on the 15th, they want representatives of all five Asian countries to be present at the ground together, watch the match together and talk to one another,” Islam had remarked.

(With PTI Inputs)