Bulawayo [Zimbabwe], January 18 : The India U19 vs Bangladesh U19 group-stage match of the ongoing ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026 did not see the customary handshake during the toss. Addressing the issue, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) clarified that the absence of a handshake was completely unintentional and that there was no deliberate intent behind the incident.
India was represented by captain Ayush Mhatre for the toss on Saturday, and the Bangladesh team was represented by its vice-captain Zawad Abrar. India was playing its second match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup, while Bangladesh was playing its first.
BCB also said that, due to illness, regular captain Azizul Hakim was unable to attend the toss, and vice-captain Abrar represented the team.
In an X post, BCB wrote, "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. 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."
Following the incident, BCB took a strong stance on sportsmanship, reminding players to uphold the spirit of cricket and respect opponents, and advising the team management to ensure players maintain high standards of behaviour, emphasising camaraderie and mutual respect in all interactions.
"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," BCB added.
Coming to the match, Mhatre-led India registered a thrilling 18-run win over Bangladesh after the second innings was reduced to 29 overs due to rain in the seventh match on Saturday. With this win, India registered their second consecutive win in the ongoing tournament.
India made 238 runs batting first, with three key contributions with the bat. And despite rain impacting Bangladesh's run chase, forcing the implementation of the DLS method and a revised target of 165 from 29 overs, India did enough to hold on for a victory. The Tigers were all out for 146 off 28.3 overs.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi contributed a vital (72 off 67), while Abhigyan Kundu anchored India's batting innings with 80 off 112, perfectly complementing Vaibhav's more aggressive approach. Kanishk Chouhan's 28 off 26 helped with the finishing touches from their 50 overs.