Colombo: On the eve of cricket’s most charged contest, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha left the most delicate question hanging — whether his side would shake hands with India — while urging that the match be played in the “same spirit” that has defined cricket since its beginnings.
Asked directly if Pakistan would exchange handshakes with India after the game, Salman offered a measured response: “That we will see tomorrow.”
The answer captured the uneasy undertone surrounding the fixture, where sport and politics often overlap. Pressed on whether the game could return to traditional sporting norms, Salman was clear in principle even if he avoided specifics.
“The game should be played in the same spirit… I feel that the game should be played the same way as it has been since the beginning of cricket. The rest is up to them and whatever they want to do,” he said.
The Pakistan skipper acknowledged the magnitude of an India–Pakistan match, saying the scale of the occasion has never diminished.
“This is a game whose magnitude has always been massive and will continue to be so… we were prepared for everything — whether we play or not.”
Leading Pakistan into such a fixture brings its own weight, he admitted. “When you are representing your country and you are captaining a side and you’re representing like 250 or 260 million people, you can’t run away from responsibility… there will be added pressure. You just need to find a way how to deal with that.”
On the field, Salman expects conditions in Colombo — large boundaries and a slow surface — to bring spin into play, though he insisted fast bowlers would remain key. “It is possible that the spinner dominates here, but fast bowlers will have roles as well… fast bowling is such a skill you cannot write off anywhere.”
Pakistan’s spin-heavy squad, featuring the much-discussed Usman Tariq, has been a talking point, but Salman dismissed the noise. “The guy has been cleared twice… I don’t know why people are saying so many things about him. The one thing I can assure you — he doesn’t care about that.”
He described Tariq as a potential “trump card” while stressing that the entire 15-man squad was ready. “All 15 players are very important… we can put any XI tomorrow.”
Salman also backed Babar Azam despite recent scrutiny, calling his contributions vital.
“Babar did 50 in the last three innings… it was a very important knock for us. We are very happy with that.”
Pakistan’s World Cup record against India remains modest, but Salman insisted history will not dictate the result. “You can’t change history. You can learn from it… we will try to do a good performance tomorrow and win the match.”
Ultimately, he said, neither the toss nor conditions will decide the outcome. “At the end of the day… you will win the match only if you play good cricket.”
In a rivalry where even a handshake carries meaning, Salman’s message was simple — respect the game, absorb the pressure, and let cricket, not controversy, define the result.