India vs Pakistan Women’s World Cup 2025: Will The No-Handshake Saga Continue?

The ongoing no-handshake saga between India and Pakistan cricketers may now spill into the Women's World Cup 2025. With arch-rivals India and Pakistan set to clash on Sunday, October 5, in Colombo, the big question is whether Harmanpreet Kaur's team will follow the men's side in avoiding handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts.

The controversy began during the Asia Cup, where India and Pakistan met three times within 15 days. Beyond the on-field rivalry, headlines were dominated by India's refusal to shake hands with Pakistan's players. The stance was first seen on September 14 after a group-stage encounter and was repeated in the subsequent matches, even as tempers flared and provocative gestures came from Pakistan's side.

With the women's clash approaching, reports suggest the same trend could continue. According to Telecom Asia Sport, Pakistan's team manager Hina Munawar has already consulted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on how players should respond if India once again refuses handshakes. This indicates Pakistan is preparing for a repeat of the no-handshake policy on Sunday.

However, neither the PCB nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has raised the matter with the International Cricket Council (ICC). The ICC has not issued any formal protocols regarding handshakes, which have traditionally been a customary gesture of sportsmanship and respect, regardless of the result.

Indian Players Respond to the Controversy

In the lead-up to the Women's World Cup, Indian players were questioned about the controversy. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur emphasized that the team's sole focus is on cricket, not off-field distractions.

"Well, we can only control one thing which is playing cricket on the field and we are not thinking of other things. Because as cricketers, we can only control the things we have in our hand. But in other parts, I have zero control, and I don't even take those things into my mind. We don't even discuss those things in the dressing room. We are only here to play cricket and our focus is only on cricket," said Kaur.

All-rounder Deepti Sharma echoed the same sentiment, stressing that the Asia Cup incidents are behind them and the team is concentrating on the upcoming challenges.
"That match is far away, and when it happens, we will see what to do. We are not focusing on the Asia Cup at the moment," she remarked.

As the October 5 India-Pakistan Women's World Cup clash nears, anticipation grows not just for the contest on the field but also for whether the no-handshake tradition will continue to dominate headlines.