Former Pakistan cricketers Ramiz Raja and Aamer Sohail reignited the handshake controversy at the end of the team's first Test against South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday. It is worth noting that the Indian cricket team players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani opponents as the teams came up against each other thrice in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2025. The move triggered a huge controversy. Even after the final, India refused to take the winners' trophy from the hands of Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's interior minister and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.
However, on Tuesday, India and Pakistan faced each other in the field of hockey at the Sultan of Johor Cup. The players of both the sides shared high-fives and also shook hands after the end of the match.
On Wednesday, Pakistan registered a 93-run win over the Proteas in the Test match, and the following handshake drew poor reactions from Aamer and Ramiz.
"Good to see both teams shaking hands. It's getting out of fashion these days," said Aamer Sohail on-air.
To this, Ramiz Raja replied, "It's getting out of hand."
"It's a great tradition. And well, cricket is about tradition, being gentlemanly, about being fair. It's important for South Africa to be sane."
Fans on the internet lashed out at the former Pakistan players for reigniting the handshake row. Check out some of the reactions here -
Pakistan ended World Test Championship winner South Africa's 10-match winning streak with a clinical victory in the first Test.
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali continued to prosper on turning home wickets with a rich match haul of 10 for 191 as the Proteas were bowled out for 183 after Lunch on Day 4. Noman has bagged 46 wickets in his last five home Tests, including 20 against England and another 16 against the West Indies. He followed his 6 for 112 in the first innings with a haul of 4 for 79 in a marathon unchanged spell of 28 overs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi mopped up the tail with some impressive reverse swing to finish with 4 for 33, as South Africa fell way short of its 277-run target.
(With AP Inputs)