<p>Colombo: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will face off at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo for the T20 World Cup game on Sunday. This is the first time they will be clashing since the Asia Cup in Dubai last September, when Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha.</p>.<p>It was no surprise that Suryakumar was asked about the handshake on the eve of Sunday’s contest.</p>.<p>“You wait for 24 hours,” Suryakumar replied to a pointed question. “Usme kyon dhalna hai (Why do you want to get into it)? We have come to play cricket, play good cricket. We will take those calls later. You wait, nah, eat and sleep well!” added Suryakumar.</p>.<p>Salman, too, remained non-committal when asked if he would shake hands with Suryakumar.</p>.<p>“We shall find out tomorrow,” he gushed. </p>.<p>When prodded by another journalist, a relaxed Suryakumar stuck to the same script. “I will break the suspense tomorrow. I just told him to wait for 24 hours. We will play a good game. What is important now? Isn’t the game important tomorrow? You will see at the toss. Wait for 24 hours.”</p>.<p>Salman yet again stressed that sports and politics should not be mixed and the ‘Spirit of the Game’ must be upheld at any cost, wishing cricketers from both sides were able to bond again like old times. “Cricket should be played in the right spirit. My personal opinion may not matter. But cricket should be played according to how it has always been meant to be played. It’s up to them to decide what to do.”</p>.<p>Suryakumar’s gesture during the Asia Cup, held in the shadow of the Pahalgam terror attack, set off a chain of unsavoury incidents that climaxed with the Indians refusing to take the trophy from the Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi and the peeved Pakistan Interior Minister in retaliation locking up the cup in his office. </p>
<p>Colombo: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will face off at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo for the T20 World Cup game on Sunday. This is the first time they will be clashing since the Asia Cup in Dubai last September, when Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha.</p>.<p>It was no surprise that Suryakumar was asked about the handshake on the eve of Sunday’s contest.</p>.<p>“You wait for 24 hours,” Suryakumar replied to a pointed question. “Usme kyon dhalna hai (Why do you want to get into it)? We have come to play cricket, play good cricket. We will take those calls later. You wait, nah, eat and sleep well!” added Suryakumar.</p>.<p>Salman, too, remained non-committal when asked if he would shake hands with Suryakumar.</p>.<p>“We shall find out tomorrow,” he gushed. </p>.<p>When prodded by another journalist, a relaxed Suryakumar stuck to the same script. “I will break the suspense tomorrow. I just told him to wait for 24 hours. We will play a good game. What is important now? Isn’t the game important tomorrow? You will see at the toss. Wait for 24 hours.”</p>.<p>Salman yet again stressed that sports and politics should not be mixed and the ‘Spirit of the Game’ must be upheld at any cost, wishing cricketers from both sides were able to bond again like old times. “Cricket should be played in the right spirit. My personal opinion may not matter. But cricket should be played according to how it has always been meant to be played. It’s up to them to decide what to do.”</p>.<p>Suryakumar’s gesture during the Asia Cup, held in the shadow of the Pahalgam terror attack, set off a chain of unsavoury incidents that climaxed with the Indians refusing to take the trophy from the Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi and the peeved Pakistan Interior Minister in retaliation locking up the cup in his office. </p>