The viral embrace between the cricket icons came before Sunday's high-voltage clash at the R Premadasa Stadium. The two legends had the ceremonial duty of walking out with the T20 World Cup trophy, sharing a laugh and brief chat before stepping onto the field.
The gesture stood in sharp contrast to the frostiness that has defined on-field protocol between the teams, with India captain Suryakumar Yadav once again refraining from the customary handshake with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss. India went on to crush Pakistan by 61 runs in their Group A encounter.