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NEW DELHI, India: India and Pakistan’s refusal to shake hands during their Asia Cup cricket matches bent the code of the so-called “gentleman’s game,” as sport once again served as a proxy battlefield.

The tournament marks the first meeting between the nuclear-armed neighbors since their armies clashed in May — a four-day exchange of artillery, drones and missiles that killed more than 70 people.

The sporting rivals do not play bilateral matches, meeting only at neutral venues during international tournaments.

The handshake snub is the latest example of how cricket mirrors politics between the two countries.

EYES DOWN

The cricket-mad neighbors have already met twice in the Asia Cup T20 tournament this month, played in the United Arab Emirates as a neutral venue.

On September 14, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his refusal to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart was “aligned with the government” — a move Pakistan said had “disappointed” them.

When they met again on September 21, neither side offered the traditional handshake. Both skippers kept their eyes and hands down after the toss.

The hostility did not stop there. Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan celebrated his half-century by using his bat like a gun, while his teammate Haris Rauf taunted the crowd by seemingly mimicking a plane crashing, an apparent reference to the Indian fighter jets that Pakistan said they shot down in May.

India won both games.

If both sides progress, they may meet in the September 28 final — and again in October when India co-hosts the Women’s World Cup, with that game played in Sri Lanka.

‘CRICKET FOR PEACE’

A love of cricket is one thing the two sides can agree on.

In 1987, Pakistan’s then military ruler Ziaul Haq stunned India with a surprise visit to a Test match in Jaipur.

The hastily arranged trip, dubbed “cricket for peace,” helped defuse a tense border standoff and saw Zia charm both fans and Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

In 2005, a match in New Delhi brought Pakistan’s then president Pervez Musharraf face-to-face with Indian leader Manmohan Singh.

PITCH GARDENING

In 1991, spade-wielding activists from India’s Hindu right-wing Shiv Sena party dug up the pitch at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium to prevent Pakistan’s cricket tour.

The scheduled one-day series was canceled.

Security fears forced Pakistan to call off two more tours in 1993 and 1994 before returning for the 1996 World Cup.

In 1999, Shiv Sena struck again, damaging the pitch at New Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla stadium ahead of a Test match, but authorities repaired it in time.

FANS EVICTED

A 1999 Test in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens descended into chaos after India’s Sachin Tendulkar was controversially run out following a collision with Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar.

Crowds erupted, chanting “cheat, cheat” and hurled water bottles at Akhtar, forcing officials to halt play.

Tendulkar’s pleas failed to calm the stands, thousands of fans were evicted, and Pakistan sealed victory in front of empty stands.

PAKISTAN BAN

Pakistani stars were a major draw in the Indian Premier League’s 2008 debut season, with Sohail Tanvir topping the wicket charts.

But after the Mumbai terror attacks that same year, carried out by Pakistan-based militants, Indian authorities barred players from across the border.

The ban remains in place, depriving Pakistan cricketers of the chance to play in the world’s most lucrative T20 league.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed federal ministers to identify feasible projects for foreign investment in priority sectors, his office said in a statement, amid Pakistan’s push to attract investment to ward off its macroeconomic crisis. 

Pakistan’s government has sought closer trade and economic relations with regional allies, Gulf countries and Central Asian Republics in recent years to bolster foreign trade and investment. Islamabad formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a government body comprising senior civilian and military officials, in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to investment in minerals, agriculture, tourism, IT, livestock and other sectors. 
 
The Pakistani prime minister, who is due to travel to New York today to take part in the United Nations General Assembly, chaired a meeting of senior ministers and officials in London on enhancing investment, economic, and trade activity in Pakistan. 

“The prime minister directed all ministers to immediately identify feasible projects and take steps to turn them into actionable initiatives,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. 

It added that Sharif directed the ministers to chalk out a roadmap and transformation agenda with a “forward-looking approach” to achieve the goals. Sharif said targets have been assigned to ministries, who have been instructed to utilize all available resources to ensure the timely completion of ongoing projects. 

“Agriculture, IT, minerals, tourism, and renewable energy are key sectors that can attract foreign investment,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. “Along with investment, promoting trade is also a core part of our policy, so that our exports can see significant growth.”

The prime minister stressed Pakistan’s private sector will play a key role in the roadmap for the country’s economic activities, saying that their participation will be ensured. 

Sharif has frequently said his government seeks to establish trade relations and “mutually beneficial partnerships” with countries and does not seek loan from them only. Pakistan has pushed for sustainable economic growth, driven by exports and long-term financial reforms, after it came to the brink of a sovereign default in 2023. 

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial bailout package saved Pakistan from the default, prompting authorities to push for economic growth as the country struggles to make economic gains.