India, Sept. 15 -- In a moment that blended high-stakes cricket with strong national sentiment, India head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen patting skipper Suryakumar Yadav and the rest of the Indian squad as they walked up the stairs following their emphatic seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Group A clash at the Dubai International Stadium.

The Indian players notably avoided shaking hands with the Pakistani team both before and after the match, a gesture that drew sharp reactions from former Pakistan cricketers and the Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi.

The emotional backdrop to the high-profile encounter was the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 tourists were killed. The Indian team dedicat...