India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana avoided the traditional handshake before their Women’s World Cup clash on Sunday, reflecting ongoing tensions between the two rivals.
Relations between India and Pakistan have worsened since military clashes in May that nearly escalated into open conflict. The strained atmosphere has already impacted cricket, with Indian players refusing handshakes or trophy presentations during the men’s Asia Cup, despite beating Pakistan three times, including the September 28 final in Dubai.
The frosty mood carried into Colombo, where Kaur and Sana skipped the customary greeting at the toss, almost ignoring each other. Sana opted to field first, saying conditions favored bowling. She expressed hope to restrict India below 250 runs, as the two sides faced off in a women’s ODI where India have never lost to Pakistan.
Kaur highlighted India’s recent tri-series win in Sri Lanka, involving South Africa, noting that experience on local pitches would benefit her team.
With bilateral cricket suspended, India and Pakistan now only meet in ICC or multi-nation tournaments at neutral venues. Although India are hosting the World Cup, Pakistan’s matches are being staged in Colombo under an ICC-approved arrangement, further underscoring the political divide shaping cricketing ties.
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