No handshakes during India vs Pakistan Women’s World Cup match

Dubai: It came as no surprise when India and Pakistan stepped out for the toss in their ICC Women’s World Cup clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo — the much-discussed “no-handshake” saga between the two rivals continued. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur pointedly avoided any interaction with her Pakistani counterpart, Fatima Sana, before the match.

The tensions echoed the recently concluded men’s Asia Cup, which was fraught with off-field drama between the two nations. That tournament saw Suryakumar Yadav’s Indian team decline to shake hands with Pakistan, citing ongoing political tensions. The situation culminated on the final day, when the Indian team chose not to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, head of the ACC and PCB, instead celebrating on the podium without the silverware.

In the lead-up to the Women’s World Cup fixture, speculation swirled over whether a similar diplomatic freeze would play out. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia sidestepped the issue, merely reiterating that the board’s stance toward Pakistan remained unchanged. Pre-match press conferences from both teams offered no clarity either.

Now, the picture is clear. Both captains walked out for the toss separately, avoided eye contact, and refrained from any interaction. After the coin flip, they gave brief interviews to broadcaster Mel Jones and then walked off in opposite directions.

Fatima Sana won the toss and elected to bowl first. She maintained her distance from Harmanpreet throughout the proceedings.

Harmanpreet announced one change in the Indian lineup — Renuka Singh Thakur replacing the injured Amanjot Kaur. “We had a good series here before the World Cup. The team is in a positive mindset, and we’re eager to perform well. Unfortunately, Amanjot isn’t fully fit, so Renuka Thakur comes in. The team has gelled well and we’re looking forward to the contest.”

Fatima Sana expressed confidence in her team’s approach, despite Pakistan’s winless ODI record against India in women’s cricket. “We’ve decided to bowl first; the pitch looks like it has some moisture. We’ve made one change. The team is confident — hopefully, we can put in a better performance today. Anything under 250 should be a chaseable target.”

Heading into this match, India came off a strong win against Sri Lanka in their tournament opener, while Pakistan were looking to bounce back after a loss to Bangladesh.