Pakistan, India hockey teams restore sportsmanship with high-five at Sultan of Johor Cup

MALAYSIA: In a refreshing display of sportsmanship, the junior hockey teams of Pakistan and India exchanged traditional high-fives before their Sultan of Johor Cup match, symbolically putting an end to the handshake controversy that had recently marred cricket relations between the two nations.

The intense match between the two arch-rivals ended in a 3–3 draw.

For Pakistan, Sufyan Khan scored two goals while Hanan Shahid added one.

Following the national anthems, both teams lined up and performed their traditional high-five celebration, clapping and smiling as they walked past one another — a gesture warmly appreciated by fans for reviving the true spirit of the game.

The moment stood in sharp contrast to the handshake controversy sparked during the Asia Cup Cricket Tournament and the Women’s World Cup, where Indian players, reportedly acting on official directives, refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.

The first such incident occurred on September 14, when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav declined to shake hands with Pakistan’s skipper after their Asia Cup match — an act widely criticized for breaching sportsmanship ethics.

The same attitude continued in the Super Four stage on September 21 and the final on September 28, further straining the atmosphere of fair play.

A similar situation unfolded during the ICC Women’s World Cup in Colombo on October 5, when the captains of Pakistan and India once again skipped the customary handshake after the toss.

However, the junior hockey teams set a positive example by putting sports above politics, marking a hopeful turn in Pakistan-India sporting relations.