Will India melt? Pakistan Captain Salman Agha pleads for ‘Spirit of Cricket’ in high-voltage clash

As the cricketing world turns its eyes toward Colombo for Sunday’s high-stakes ICC T20 World Cup group stage encounter after Pakistan agreed to play against India after a week of drama, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has called for the game to be played in the "right spirit," despite the lingering "no-handshake" protocol adopted by the Indian side.

The traditional post-match gesture has become a point of contention following a directive from the Indian camp last year. Following an attack in Pahalgam in April 2025 and subsequent rising geopolitical tensions, the Indian senior men’s team refrained from shaking hands with Pakistani players during the Asia Cup 2025 trilogy.

This trend has since trickled down to age-group cricket, with no handshakes observed during the Asia Cup Rising Stars or the U-19 Cricket World Cup. When asked if the ice would break during the toss or after the match on Sunday, Agha remained diplomatic but firm on cricketing traditions.

"The game should be played in the same spirit," Agha said during the pre-match press conference. "What I expect, obviously, does not matter. But I feel that the game should be played the same way as it has been since the beginning of cricket. And the rest is up to them and whatever they want to do."

In a notable show of sportsmanship, Agha also expressed his hope that India’s star opener Abhishek Sharma would be fit for the clash. Abhishek missed India’s previous match against Namibia in New Delhi due to a stomach illness.

“Really hope Abhishek plays because we want to play the best team. Hope he recovers and plays tomorrow,” Agha said, reinforcing his desire for a high-quality contest between the two sides.

The match itself was only confirmed after the Pakistan government withdrew an earlier boycott call, adding a layer of political drama to the sporting spectacle. However, Agha was quick to pivot the conversation back to the pitch, downplaying the tactical importance of the coin toss.

"At the end of the day, if you win or lose the toss, you will win the match only if you play good cricket," Agha added. "If you win the toss and do not play good cricket, or if you lose the toss and do not play good cricket, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, the same things matter, how you play cricket. So, I think tomorrow, cricket will matter. I think toss is a way to start a game. You have to play good cricket. You have to execute your plans to win for 40 overs."

With both teams facing immense pressure to perform on the world stage, the focus remains on whether the "spirit of the game" can transcend the diplomatic chill currently defining the rivalry.