No Handshakes Between India and Pakistan in Women’s World Cup Clash
Following the example of the Indian men’s cricket team during the Asia Cup in Dubai, Harmanpreet Kaur and her team will not shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during their Women’s World Cup match in Colombo on October 5.
The relationship between India and Pakistan in cricket has reached a low point, further strained when the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief, Mohsin Naqvi, declined to present a trophy to Indian player Suryakumar Yadav in Dubai.
According to a senior source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the women’s team will follow the men’s decision, which means no handshakes during the toss, no official photos with the match referee, and no post-match pleasantries. “The BCCI is in line with government policy,” the source stated.
As anticipation builds for the toss in Colombo, it is expected that a former player or commentator from a neutral country will take on the role.
The mood this time will differ greatly from the 2022 ODI World Cup held in New Zealand, where Indian players were seen enjoying moments with Pakistani player Bismah Maroof and her baby daughter. This upcoming match, however, is expected to be quite different, with neither Harmanpreet nor Pakistan’s captain, Fatima Sana, likely to exchange even basic greetings.
