Harbhajan Singh VIOLATES no-handshake policy, caught sharing warm moment with Pakistan cricketer

In a moment that stunned fans across both nations, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and Pakistani pacer Shahnawaz Dahani shared a warm handshake during the Abu Dhabi T10 League on Wednesday, November 19. It was a rare sight amid a tense political and sporting atmosphere.

The brief greeting happened right after the Aspin Stallions, led by Harbhajan Singh’s team, suffered a narrow four-run defeat to the Northern Warriors in the Abu Dhabi T10 League clash at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Harbhajan Singh shares rare moment with Shahnawaz Dahani in Abu Dhabi T10 League

However, the timing made this moment explosive on social media. For months, players from India and Pakistan across the age groups have avoided handshakes after the Pahalgam attack earlier this year, which reignited the cross-border tensions.

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This tension even spilled onto the cricket field, where men’s, women’s, and junior teams have skipped the traditional post-match gesture across several tournaments. It was started during the Asia Cup 2025 when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Pakistani players.

And the surprising thing is that even Harbhajan Singh had earlier taken an extremely strong stand on the issue. Earlier this year, the World Cup winner, along with Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, and the Pathan brothers, pulled out of a clash against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends. At that time, he had said that the situation demanded a firm response.

Harbhajan Singh’s warm gesture stuns fans amid India-Pakistan tensions

Their decision forced the India Champions to boycott the semi-final against Pakistan, creating one of the biggest controversies in the world of cricket. But on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, Harbhajan decided to end this coldness.

Dahani, who delivered a brilliant spell of 2 for 10 and played a major role in the Warriors’ win, walked up to Harbhajan immediately after the final delivery. The Stallions' captain responded with a simple handshake and a short exchange before the players walked off.

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Earlier in the match, Harbhajan had bowled a tight single over for eight runs and later got run out for one during the tense chase. As expected, the friendly moment exploded online, with many reacting sharply to Harbhajan’s unexpected gesture.

Harbhajan Singh shared a warm handshake with Shahnawaz Dahani after the Abu Dhabi T10 match 🇵🇰🇮🇳🤝
Dahani responded with a smile — makes you wonder why we don’t see the same energy in international fixtures. Interesting contrast. 🤐 pic.twitter.com/TAQwC47DVQ

— Abbey 🫀 (@CrickTrack360) November 19, 2025

Harbhajan Singh shaking hands with Shahnawaz Dahani. Seems like no handshake policy is only for those wearing Pakistani shirt. pic.twitter.com/EqtsxQlSds

— Taimoor Zaman (@taimoor_ze) November 19, 2025

However, only days earlier, during the Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind on November 16, players from both sides offered brief congratulations after matches, thanks to a friendlier environment as teams travelled together.

Northern Warriors vs Aspin Stallions Match Highlight

Speaking about the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Northern Warriors put up a strong 114/2 in 10 overs, thanks to Johnson Charles' 55* and Colin Munro's 38*. Tymal Mills dismissed Hazratullah Zazai. Chasing the target, the Aspin Stallions fought hard but could only reach 110 for seven.

Dahani’s stunning bowling in the final overs helped Northern Warriors to beat Harbhajan’s team by four runs and earned him the Player of the Match award. Avishka Fernando was the top scorer with 33 runs for the Aspin Stallions in the Abu Dhabi T10 League match.

Shahnawaz Dahani and Taskin Ahmed were the standout bowlers for the Warriors, taking two wickets each at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.