India–Bangladesh Tensions Surface as Captains Skip Handshake at U-19 World Cup Toss

Signs of diplomatic strain between India and Bangladesh surfaced on Saturday after the captains of both teams skipped the customary handshake during the toss of their Under-19 World Cup match in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Bangladesh’s acting captain Zawad Abrar and India’s skipper Ayush Mhatre did not exchange handshakes at the pre-match toss, which was won by Bangladesh. Dhaka-based daily Prothom Alo reported that it remained unclear which side decided to forgo the traditional gesture.

The incident comes amid growing tensions between the two cricketing nations. Last year, Indian players had declined to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during Asia Cup fixtures following a military confrontation between the two countries.

Relations between India and Bangladesh have also been under strain after Dhaka announced it would not play its upcoming T20 World Cup matches in India. The decision followed the release of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman by his Indian Premier League franchise, Kolkata, despite being signed for over $1 million at the December auction. The move triggered strong criticism in Bangladesh.

Following the episode, Bangladesh formally requested the International Cricket Council to relocate its T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board reiterated this request during a recent video conference with the ICC.

Political ties between New Delhi and Dhaka have remained tense since a mass uprising in 2024 led to the removal of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of India. India’s foreign ministry has since expressed concern over what it described as continued hostility towards minorities in Bangladesh, a claim rejected by interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who accused India of exaggerating the situation.