Sanjay Manjrekar Calls India's No-Handshake Stance Against Pakistan 'Silly', Gets Trolled

Former Indian cricket team batter Sanjay Manjrekar gave an explosive verdict on India's 'no-handshake' policy against Pakistan. India skipper Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha during the Asia Cup 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attacks. Since then, India cricketers have maintained the same stance during international competitions. According to reports, India will not change their stance on Sunday as well during the T20 World Cup group stage match in Colombo.

This ‘no shaking hands' is such a silly thing that India has started. It's unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don't play at all.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 15, 2026

However, Manjrekar called the no-handshake stance by India a 'silly thing' before adding that either they should play within the 'spirit of the game' or boycott the match completely.

Imagine shaking hands with players who posted stories against Indian army and victims after Pahalgam incident. Playing or not is board's decision but players can decide if they want to shake hands or not. Keep your opinion to yourself

— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) February 15, 2026

"This ‘no shaking hands' is such a silly thing that India has started. It's unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don't play at all," he posted on X (formerly Twitter). 

Sportsmanship is about respecting the rules, not enforcing symbolic gestures. Many players compete professionally without handshakes. There is no ICC rule mandating it — as long as the game is played fairly, there's no issue

— BWICKET (@BWicket45) February 15, 2026

The remark did not go down well with the social media users who heavily criticised Manjrekar.

You would say the same to victims of Mumbai 2008 terror attacks?

— christopher (@RanaKirtan35) February 15, 2026

Meanwhile, former India cricketer Kiran More expressed hope for India's victory in the much-awaited clash against Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

The former BCCI selector More is contesting the election for the post of Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) President from the Revival Group.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "India is a very strong team. They will have an upper hand. I think India is going to win it."

He also expressed his desire to see Baroda's Hardik Pandya perform in the crucial match as India seeks to confirm their place in the Super Eights with a win on Sunday.

Speaking about Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, More said, "Pandya is a very good player. He is a big match player, and in big occasions, he ensures India's victory."

Both India and Pakistan have played two matches each in the tournament so far. Both have registered victories in those games. While India will enter the contest on the back of wins against the United States of America and Namibia, Pakistan have defeated the Netherlands and the USA.

(With agency inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Sanjay Manjrekar T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket