ICC Women's World Cup: Did IND-W Captain Harmanpreet Kaur Refuse Handshake With PAK-W Skipper Fatima Sana?

India and Pakistan are clashing against each other in the sixth match of the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Sunday. PAK-W won the toss and asked IND-W to put runs on the scoreboard.

As the two teams gathered on the field, all eyes were on the customary handshake between captains, a gesture that has become symbolic of sportsmanship. It was reported that the Indian team will be skipping the handshakes with the Pakistan team after the 'No Handshake' turmoil during the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025.

Harmanpreet Kaur Skips Handshake With Fatima Sana

On expected lines, Harmanpreet did not shake hands with her Pakistan counterpart Fatima Sana during the toss for the Women's World Cup fixture, maintaining the trend set by the men's team in Asia Cup. The BCCI had conveyed the players to avoid customary handshake with members of the Pakistani team. Mel Jones conducted the toss and both the captains maintained their distance during the ceremony.

In the recently concluded men's Asia Cup, all three games between India and Pakistan took place in a hostile environment. India players did not shake hands before or after the game with the opposition. Champions India also refused to take the Asia Cup trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi, who happens to be Pakistan Cricket Board chief and an interior minister in the government with a pronounced anti-India political position.

The hostilities between the two neighbours are at an all-time high after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 Indian tourists were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists. India had subsequently launched a military action under ‘Operation Sindoor’ to dismantle terror infrastructure across the border.

India Vs Pakistan, ICC Women's World Cup, Match 6: Playing XIs

Pakistan Women (Playing XI): Muneeba Ali, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Amin, Rameen Shamim, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Nawaz(w), Fatima Sana(c), Natalia Pervaiz, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal

India Women (Playing XI): Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani

With PTI Inputs