‘Didn't see them as enemies’: Why Indian team shook hands with Pak players

NEW DELHI: Handshakes, usually a elemental sporting motion exchanged earlier oregon aft a game, person go a constituent of governmental statement successful caller months.With India’s men’s cricket squad refusing to shingle hands with their Pakistani counterparts successful honour of the Pahalgam panic victims, not erstwhile but thrice implicit 3 consecutive Sundays, and the women’s squad pursuing suit during the Women’s World Cup the pursuing weekend, galore expected athletes successful different sports to travel the inclination acceptable by Indian cricket.Things, however, took a antithetic crook successful mid-October erstwhile India men’s inferior hockey squad faced Pakistan successful mid-October during the Sultan of Johor Cup.After a fiery brushwood that ended successful a 3-3 draw, players from some sides exchanged high-fives, a infinitesimal that delighted neutral sports fans.

India’s motion was wide appreciated online arsenic a show of existent sportsmanship.“It wasn’t similar we were told not to shingle hands. As players, we each play with hard enactment and dedication, and we didn't spot them arsenic enemies oregon thing similar that.

That's wherefore we shook hands. They’re players conscionable similar us,” said Roshan Kujur, a midfielder from India’s silver-winning squad, successful an exclusive speech with TimesofIndia.com.“With Pakistan, it’s ever astir winning. We person to bushed them. But successful the end, it turned retired to beryllium a draw. Still, it was a bully match,” added Sunil PB, a defender successful the side.

Elaborating connected the unit that comes with an India–Pakistan fixture, Kujur added: “First of all, losing to Pakistan is not an option.

There’s ever unit successful an India–Pakistan game; the sanction itself brings pressure. But we tried to grip it good and absorption connected giving our best."After an awesome campaign, India finished with a metallic medal pursuing a constrictive 2-1 nonaccomplishment to Australia, which was an betterment connected their bronze from the erstwhile edition.Both Kujur and Sunil volition correspond Vedanta Kalinga Lancers successful the upcoming play of the Hockey India League (HIL).While Kujur was portion of the squad past season, Sunil became 1 of their latest signings during the mini-auction.

For some 21-year-olds, HIL is simply a accidental to physique connected their learnings and instrumentality their crippled to the adjacent level. “I’ll speech to elder players, instrumentality their feedback connected however I tin improve, and use that successful my game,” said Kujur.“This volition beryllium my archetypal play with the Lancers. I’ll absorption connected improving my resistance flicks and effort to larn from each the large players who are coming, by watching and observing them,” Sunil added.ALSO READ: Russia, erstwhile location to chess, present home-breaker: 'We can't play arsenic a team, players changing federation'