“Skipping the Handshake Was Shameful”: Kumail Nanjiani Criticises India-Pakistan Cricket Clash

Hollywood actor and stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani has weighed in on the long-standing India–Pakistan cricket rivalry, expressing disappointment over the Indian team’s decision to skip the traditional post-match handshake with Pakistan during their Asia Cup encounter earlier this year. The comment, made during a recent video conversation with comedian Hasan Minhaj, has reignited debate over whether political tensions are increasingly spilling into the sporting arena.

Speaking candidly on Minhaj’s YouTube channel, Nanjiani reflected on how India–Pakistan cricket matches have evolved over time. He recalled an era when contests between the two teams, though intense, were also marked by mutual respect and cultural familiarity. According to him, cricket once served as a rare bridge between two nations with a shared history, language, and sporting passion.

Referring to the Asia Cup Group-stage match in September, Nanjiani said the absence of a handshake left him uncomfortable. He argued that sport is meant to be a neutral ground where rivalries remain competitive but respectful, regardless of political disagreements outside the field. For him, the handshake symbolises equality between opponents and acknowledgment of the game itself, something he felt was missing in that moment.

The match in question saw India register a convincing seven-wicket victory, comfortably chasing Pakistan’s modest total. However, the on-field result was quickly overshadowed by visuals showing Indian players heading back to the dressing room immediately after the final ball, while Pakistani players waited for the customary greeting that never came.

Nanjiani contrasted the incident with earlier decades of India–Pakistan clashes, describing them as fierce yet emotionally rich encounters that carried a sense of shared identity. He emphasised that rivalry did not mean hostility, and that competition could coexist with dignity and sportsmanship.

His remarks have drawn mixed reactions online, with some agreeing that cricket should remain above geopolitics, while others defended the Indian team’s stance given the broader context of bilateral tensions. Regardless, Nanjiani’s comments have reopened a larger conversation on where the line should be drawn between national sentiment and sporting ethics.