Indian cricketers not shaking hands with Pakistani counterparts is ‘dadagiri’ by BJP, alleges Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday (February 18, 2026) said Indian cricketers not shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts during the recently played cricket match is “dadagiri” (bullying) by the BJP and the Centre.

Mr. Raut said his party is of the opinion that matches should not be played between India and Pakistan.

Also read: India-Pakistan encounter: In defence of the ‘boring’ match

“(But) If you are doing that, then show sportsmanship,” Mr. Raut said.

“Indian players not shaking hands with Pakistani players is dadagiri of the BJP and the government on Indian players. Why are you playing? What happens if you don’t play (with Pakistan),” he said.

“By playing with Pakistan, thousands of crores are earned in betting. Of this, half will go to Pakistan. That money will go to Dawood Ibrahim and Masood Azhar. This will again lead to terrorism,” the Sena (UBT) MP added.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha during the toss of their T20 World Cup clash in Colombo on Sunday (February 15, 2026), maintaining the status quo since the Asia Cup in Dubai last year.