Ex-India star tells Suryakumar Yadav & Co. to 'insult and ignore' Pakistan after no-handshake controversy

Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to make headlines as former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan spoke about the ongoing controversy surrounding the Asia Cup 2025 clash. Wassan explained that Indian players deliberately avoided acknowledging Pakistan after their seven-wicket win in the Asia Cup 2025 clash on September 14 in Dubai.

He said that India’s no-handshake move reflected the anger and frustration in the Indian camp over the Pahalgam terror attack and political tensions. He said that ignoring or even openly insulting Pakistan on the field is a conscious decision by the Indian players.

Atul Wassan hails the Indian cricket team’s strong stance against Pakistan

Wassan admitted that he was angry when he saw Suryakumar Yadav exchanging pleasantries with PCB and ACC head Mohsin Naqvi during the captains' meet.

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He also recalled how he ignored some of his Pakistani friends in England following the Pahalgam attack, saying he ‘didn’t want to see them.’

The former Indian cricketer backed Suryakumar Yadav and his team’s intentions to show their stance firmly without compromising on the game itself, and they should continue their stance.

Atul Wassan was quoted as saying by PTI: “They wanted us to be normal because they get validation. We don't want to give that validation. You can insult them. You can ignore them.”

Atul Wassan says India vs Pakistan cricket drama will continue

The commentator has further emphasized that the tension between India and Pakistan is unlikely to ease anytime soon. With the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 coming next year, Wassan said that India must maintain its position by being firm on the field, carefully managing interactions, and showing respect for national sentiment and security concerns.

Wassan also urged people to accept that the India vs Pakistan games will continue. He added, “It's not about the point. It doesn't matter. Next year is the T20 World Cup. If you start it once, you can’t stop it. There is no way to back out. Because this situation is not going to improve.”

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Defending the BCCI's decision to allow India to face Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, Wassan said that this decision was taken by the Indian government.

Atul Wassan explains why cricket must go on

The former Indian cricketer compared it to situations where athletes like Neeraj Chopra compete in global events even if political rivalries exist, and the same applies in cricket, saying Indians should just ignore Pakistan’s presence.

He signed off by saying, “It's not the BCCI's decision. It's the government's decision. The government has decided that we will play Pakistan. When you allow the Pakistani team to come to India, then you understand that everything subsumes into that.

But people only look at cricket. In multinationals, even in Indian diplomatic circles, there are so many meetings. The Prime Minister just left. The Pakistani PM was also there. If he was there, then we shouldn't go. No. Let them be; we’ll do our job.”

Notably, the Men in Blue have already qualified for the Super Fours of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 after back-to-back wins over the UAE and Pakistan. They are set to play their final group match against Oman on September 19 in Dubai.