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Tension and Sportsmanship: The Strained Relations Between India and Pakistan

Wednesday, June 24, 2026
5 min read
Tension and Sportsmanship: The Strained Relations Between India and Pakistan

Harmanpreet Singh and his Indian hockey team met their Pakistani counterparts, led by Abu Mahmood, just before a big game in the FIH Pro League. They exchanged Greetings, but it felt strained. All the differences that have really soured things across the border? they just kept them quiet.

It’s complicated history, you know. Ever since that attack on Indian nationals in Pahalgam back in April 2025, things got much worse between the two countries. And then there was the men's Asia Cup in September. Since then, even the players have avoided shaking hands. It’s all just layered tension now.

The Indian skippers, like Suryakumar Yadav, they had a reason for skipping that handshake. They said it was a gesture of respect toward those who were attacked and solidarity with the Indian armed forces involved in Operation Sindoor. That kind of weight is heavy.

That decision caused a lot of noise. Pakistan’s coaching staff and management were clearly disappointed at the time. Of course they were. And the Pakistan Cricket Board went ahead and lodged a formal protest with the Asian Cricket Council about what they saw as breaking post-match sportsmanship rules. A real public spat over a simple gesture.

Suryakumar, who had led India to a win in that Asia Cup match, pointed out that the team had aGreed beforehand. They aligned with the BCCI and the Indian government on this. The decision was made not to shake hands with the opposition. It left Pakistan feeling let down.

Mike Hesson, the Pakistani coach, he waited after the game expecting the usual handshake. He just realized it wasn't coming. The gesture was skipped. That realization must have stung him.

Earlier, Hardik Singh from India had mentioned something to this publication. He said you have to act like an athlete during a match. Keep off-field skirmishes out of the situation. It’s about control.

When asked if the hockey team would follow the cricket teams in that regard? Hardik was pretty clear. No, they hadn't discussed that specific thing. But he added something else. Once you step onto the field, you have to act like an athlete. Whatever the whole situation is, refusing a handshake just isn’t an option.

“If we don’t shake hands,” he continued, “then let’s not tackle them either. On the field, we respect our opponents. They respect us. And together, we showcase great hockey to the world.” That felt like a whole different kind of statement than what happened just before. A very difficult line to walk.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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