Pakistan player stuns with hostile gesture toward Indian opponent: WATCH

India delivered a commanding 2-0 victory over Pakistan in the U-16 Junior Davis Cup tournament held on May 24 in Kazakhstan`s Shymkent. The Indian duo of Prkaash Sarran and Tavish Pahwa clinched the win with impressive performances in the singles rubbers, both winning their respective matches via super tie-breaks, thereby securing a clean sweep for the team.

However, the post-match atmosphere turned controversial when a video surfaced online three days later, drawing widespread attention. The video showed the Pakistani player initially failing to connect with the Indian player during the customary handshake. Upon a second attempt, he made contact only to abruptly and aggressively withdraw. The Indian player, showing remarkable composure and maturity, refrained from reacting and maintained his professionalism despite the provocation.

🇮🇳 India – 🇵🇰 Pakistan Handshake Drama at the Junior Davis Cup in Kazakhstan

India beat Pakistan 2-0 pic.twitter.com/mI85JBETCo

— Indian Tennis Daily (ITD) (@IndTennisDaily) May 27, 2025

This episode gained traction against the backdrop of heightened India-Pakistan tensions following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals, most of whom were tourists. In retaliation, on May 7, India carried out targeted precision airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). These camps were reportedly linked to terrorist groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The strikes reportedly resulted in the elimination of over 100 militants.

India emphasised that the strikes were `measured, focused, and non-escalatory` and were intended solely to neutralise terror infrastructure, not to target civilian or military installations.

In response to India’s operations, Pakistan launched drone attacks on Indian military bases located near the border, which escalated the conflict and prompted a swift retaliatory strike from India. The escalating hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbors led to concerns over broader regional stability.

After three days of sustained military exchanges, both countries reached an agreement on May 10 to halt offensive actions, announcing a mutual ceasefire aimed at de-escalating the situation.

This article first appeared on Mid Day