Diplomatic tension between Bangladesh and India appeared to reach the cricket field on Saturday when the captains of the two Under-19 teams did not shake hands during the toss at the ICC U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh acting captain Jawad Abrar and India captain Ayush Mhatre avoided the usual pre-match handshake at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, drawing attention from officials and spectators. Bangladesh later won the toss and chose to field.
It was not clear which team first decided to skip the traditional gesture. However, the moment reminded many of recent India–Pakistan matches, where similar scenes have taken place due to political and military tensions.
The incident comes at a time when relations between Dhaka and New Delhi are described as strained, with disagreements also affecting cricketing ties. Tensions have reportedly grown over the upcoming senior Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in February.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has so far stood by its decision not to send the national team to India for the tournament, citing serious security concerns.
Concerns were further highlighted recently when Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL), reportedly due to security threats. Sources say these concerns were also mentioned in an internal threat assessment report by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
While cricket has often been seen as a bridge between nations, Saturday’s incident showed how political tensions can still cast a shadow over the sport.
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