New Delhi, Feb. 20 -- Former England captain Alastair Cook believes the "no handshake policy" between Indian and Pakistani players is only "for show" on the field, while off the field, players would be chatting.

Ever since the 2025 Asia Cup in September, the Indian and Pakistani players have refused to shake hands before and after matches. This is mainly due to the rising political tensions between the two countries, something that further escalated last year following the 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

Before the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match in Colombo, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Agha did not shake hands at the toss.

Cook was speaking during an episode of the Stick to Cricket podcast, which...