Harmanpreet Kaur-Led India To Follow Men's Team, To Avoid Handshake With Pakistan In Women's World Cup: Report

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The build-up to the India-Pakistan clash at the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 has already taken a political turn, with reports suggesting that the Indian women's team may mirror the stance taken by their male counterparts in the Asia Cup earlier this year - refusing the customary handshake with Pakistan players.

According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, the Pakistan women's team management has sought guidance from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding the expected behaviour during the group-stage match scheduled for October 5 in Colombo. The move comes in anticipation of India continuing what has come to be described as a "handshake boycott," initiated by the men's side following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Interestingly, while the subject has created a stir, neither the PCB nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the matter. The ICC, on its part, has no formal guidelines on post-match handshakes, which have always been considered a tradition rather than an enforced practice. Team captains usually shake hands at the toss, and squads often line up at the end of the match, but these are gestures of courtesy, not requirements.

Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has remained tight-lipped about the issue. At the captains' press conference ahead of the tournament, she brushed aside political questions, focusing entirely on the cricket. "We can only control what happens on the field. Off-field matters are not in our hands, and we don't even discuss them in the dressing room," Harmanpreet said, making it clear that her team's focus is solely on performance.

All-rounder Deepti Sharma also echoed the same sentiment when quizzed during India's recent ODI series against Australia. "That match is still some time away. When the day comes, we'll see what to do. Right now, our attention is on our ongoing games," she remarked.

The India-Pakistan rivalry in women's cricket, though less frequent than in the men's game, carries its own weight. The two sides have clashed in only 11 ODIs and 16 T20Is. India has dominated these encounters, winning all ODIs and losing just three times in T20Is. While fans often anticipate closely fought contests, history has heavily favoured the Women in Blue.

Whether the "handshake issue" overshadows the on-field action remains to be seen. But as things stand, cricket's fiercest rivalry is once again entangled with off-field politics - and the October 5 contest promises to carry more than just cricketing significance.