Has the India–Pakistan Hockey “Handshake Controversy” ended? Here’s how

Johor: The fiercely contested hockey match between India and Pakistan ended in a 3–3 draw but more than the result, it was a surprising moment before the match that caught everyone’s attention.

In the Sultan of Johor Cup held in Johor Bahru (Malaysia) on Tuesday, the players of both junior teams greeted each other with “Hi-Fives” before the game began. This simple gesture stood out, because back in April, Pakistan-backed terrorists had carried out a brutal attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, killing 26 Hindu pilgrims. The incident led to a brief border conflict between the two nations, after which India adopted a policy of avoiding handshakes with Pakistani players in cricket matches, including during the Asia Cup.

Recently too, during the Women’s ODI World Cup in Colombo, Indian women cricketers had refrained from shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts. The same stance was seen in an Under-17 football match, where Indian players avoided physical greetings.

Pakistan had expressed strong displeasure over India’s no-handshake policy. However, while cricket remains India’s most popular sport and the policy may still continue there the friendly “Hi-Five” exchange in hockey suggests that relations between players may be softening slightly in that sport.