Bangladesh Cricket Board breaks silence on India U19 vs Bangladesh U19 handshake row

India U19 skipper Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh U19 vice-captain Zawad Abrar, who attended the toss for their ICC U19 World Cup 2026 game, didn’t shake hands, which turned out to be a major controversy.

While there was a lot of chatter on social media platforms over the controversy, considering the tensions between the two neighbouring nations, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) broke the silence on X (Twitter), stating that it was completely unintentional.

"The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken note of an inadvertent and unwarranted action that occurred at the toss prior to the opening match of the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026, Zimbabwe & Namibia, between Bangladesh and India," the BCB official press release read.

"Due to illness, regular captain Azizul Hakim was unable to attend the toss, and vice-captain Zawad Abrar represented the team on the occasion. The BCB wishes to clarify that the absence of a handshake with the opposition captain was completely unintentional and resulted from a momentary lapse in concentration. There was no intent whatsoever to show discourtesy or disregard towards the opposition,” the statement added.

"The Board has viewed the matter with due seriousness, as upholding the spirit of cricket and respect for opponents is a fundamental prerequisite for representing Bangladesh at any level and immediately advised the team management accordingly. The players have  also been reminded of their responsibility to maintain the highest standards of sportsmanship, camaraderie and mutual respect in all interactions with opposing teams. The Bangladesh Cricket Board remains fully committed to the values of cricket, both on and off the field," the release concluded. 

A similar incident happened at the senior level during the Asia Cup 2025 campaign, when India and Pakistan captains did not shake hands at the toss.

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