No Handshakes at Toss as India and Pakistan Clash in Women's World Cup Amid Lingering Tensions
The longstanding tension between India and Pakistan cricket teams was on full display yet again as the women’s teams refrained from shaking hands at the toss before their Women's World Cup 2025 encounter in Colombo on Sunday.
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana avoided the customary handshake, continuing the no-handshake stance that has become a hallmark of Indo-Pak sporting relations in recent times. The ICC match officials had preemptively briefed both teams separately on match-day protocols to prevent any on-field incidents, Cricbuzz reported.
Background of the Tensions
The strained relations between the two cricket boards escalated during the men's Asia Cup 2025, where the Indian men's team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, refused to engage in post-match handshakes after their group-stage clash with Pakistan. The fallout saw Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha skipping the post-match interview and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) releasing footage of their meeting with match referee Andy Pycroft. Pakistan had sought Pycroft's removal during the tournament, and their unapproved video release earned them an official reprimand for breaching conduct.
Tensions deepened during the Super Fours stage when Pakistani players engaged in provocative on-field gestures. After India’s hard-fought win in the final, the Indian team notably declined to receive the winners' trophy from Mohsin Naqvi—who is not only the head of the Asian Cricket Council and PCB but also Pakistan’s Interior Minister. With no delegation of the trophy presentation, Indian players celebrated their triumph without the trophy after a prolonged 90-minute delay.
The Women’s World Cup Clash
The question of whether the women's teams would shake hands overshadowed the cricketing contest itself ahead of the match in Colombo, which serves as Pakistan’s neutral base. Though India are the official tournament hosts, political realities mean the two nations do not play matches on each other's soil.
On match day, the Indian and Pakistan teams prepared under gloomy, overcast skies about 90 minutes before the scheduled start, following heavy rains that had washed out the previous day's Sri Lanka vs Australia game at the same venue.
India warmed up on one side of the ground, with some players playing football, while Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav practiced their bowling. Head coach Amol Majumdar gave a pre-match pep talk, and he and Harmanpreet Kaur inspected the pitch—a surface that had been covered since India’s first training session on Friday due to weather and match protocols.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s squad conducted their warm-up near their dugout, with captain Fatima Sana leading a brief team huddle.
A Reflection of Broader Issues
The ongoing absence of traditional courtesies like handshakes highlights the complex political and diplomatic backdrop that continues to influence sporting encounters between India and Pakistan. As the tournament progresses, fans and officials alike will be watching closely to see whether the spirit of cricket can prevail amid these tensions.