India's young opener Abhishker Sharma and Pakistan pace bowler Haris Rauf were involved in a heated altercation during the Asia Cup Super Fours clash in Dubai on Sunday.
Abhishek started the Indian innings with a flourish, hitting the first ball from Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six. His aggressive approach infuriated the Pakistani bowlers, who were carted all around the park at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Abhishek slammed 74 from 39 balls, putting on 105 runs for the opening wicket with Shubman Gill, who stroked 47 from 28 balls, to power India to an easy six-wicket victory with six balls to spare.
Rauf verbally confronted Abhishek but the youngster didn't hold back and gave the Pakistan pacer a fitting reply, with Gill also stepping in to support his younger team-mate.
Later, Gill had a go at Afridi
Gill then swatted Rauf, playing a short-arm jab off the pacer to send the ball racing through midwicket for a four. At the end of the over, Abhishek and Rauf again got into a fierce exchange, forcing umpire Gazi Sohel to intervene and separate the two.
The tone of the contest was set after India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha once again refrained from engaging in the customary tradition of shaking hands during the toss.
After Suryakumar won the toss and elected to bowl, he spoke to the commentator before he turned away and went to join his team.
This is the second time the two captains have not shaken hands in the Asia Cup.
India's stance was linked to the strained relations between the two nations in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, during which 26 tourists were killed on April 22 by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
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