After Asia Cup final drama, will India, Pak shake hands in Women’s WC fixture?

Guwahati: Exactly a week after the men’s T20 Asia Cup final, India and Pakistan are set to meet again — this time in the ICC Women’s World Cup on Sunday.

However, the spotlight is not just on cricketing skills; it’s also on whether the two teams will follow ICC protocol and shake hands.

Since Pakistan declined to travel to India for the World Cup, citing security reasons, their fixtures are being held in Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.

That’s where Harmanpreet Kaur’s India and Fatima Sana’s Pakistan will meet under a tense backdrop.

At ICC events, captains are expected to shake hands at the toss, and both teams exchange handshakes after the game.

However, sources in the BCCI say there are no special instructions for Harmanpreet & Co yet. “It is an ICC event, so there will be protocols in place, which the team will keep in mind,” an official told The Indian Express.

The men’s Asia Cup final in Dubai had seen Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Agha maintain civility during the toss, even as tensions raged on outside. Former cricketers believe Harmanpreet should be prepared for a similar situation.

“The conflict situation and reality of the day, no doubt, will bring stress to the players, other than the game itself, because of the politics brought into the game.

But I will back Team India and Harman in whatever they choose to do – not shake hands, shake hands, hug, not talk,” said Shobha Pandit, a member of India’s 1978 World Cup squad.

Sandhya Agarwal, who represented India in 13 Tests and 21 ODIs, feels Harmanpreet should mirror the men’s team.

“It is expected to be the same situation as the men’s team. And Harman should face Pakistan exactly like Surya did,” she said.

With just days to go, the cricketing world is waiting to see: will the rivalry stop at the boundary, or will the handshake itself become the headline?