New Delhi: The Indian and Pakistani hockey teams faced off on Tuesday, October 14, at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor, Malaysia. This match marked the first meeting between the two countries since the strained relations following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Handshakes and Greetings
After the national anthems, the two teams exchanged traditional greetings and shook hands before the match. After the toss, both captains also displayed sportsmanship by shaking hands.
This move was a departure from recent actions by Indian cricket teams. The men’s cricket team did not shake hands with Pakistani players during the 2025 Asia Cup, and the women’s cricket team adopted a similar approach when they defeated Pakistan by 88 runs. Suryakumar Yadav and Harmanpreet Kaur did not shake hands with Salman Agha and Fatima Sana.
The Specialty of the Johor Cup
The Johor Cup is an annual U-21 competition held in Malaysia. The Indian team, led by legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, played out a 3-3 draw this time. The three-time champions initially trailed 0-2 but took the lead in the second half with three goals (one in Q3 and two in Q4). However, Pakistan equalized in the final minute of the match to share the points.
Before #PAKvIND at Sultan Johor Hockey Cup, India’s junior hockey team greeted Pakistan players with grace. A lesson for @BCCI & @ICC. What the Indian cricket team did under ICC umbrella broke the spirit of sport & is evidence of planned theatrics shamed the game. @MohsinnaqviC42 pic.twitter.com/si7de6wtPt
— Maham Fazal (@MahamFazal_) October 14, 2025
Table Position
After this draw, India is now in second place behind Australia, with both teams having the same number of points. Pakistan is in third place with four points.
Story Highlights
- The Indian and Pakistani hockey teams shook hands before the match.
- Indian cricket teams have not recently shaken hands with Pakistani players.
- The India-Pakistan match in the Johor Cup U-21 tournament ended in a 3-3 draw.
- India is in second place in the table, and Pakistan is in third place.
