Three matches, three handshakes. The India-Pakistan rivalry produced a strikingly different scene at the Asian Games 2026 on Monday, as players from both sides exchanged handshakes after each match in the women’s table tennis team event.

The sporting gesture came after India completed a dominant 3-0 victory over Pakistan, securing their place in the next round.

While the contest itself was one-sided, the repeated handshakes between the Indian and Pakistani paddlers offered a notable contrast to the tensions that have surrounded sporting encounters between the two countries.

Suthirtha Mukherjee set the tone for India with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Aleena Khan.

She barely gave her opponent an opening, taking the games 11-3, 11-3, 11-4. Once the match ended, the two players shook hands before leaving the court.

The same sporting gesture followed the next two matches.

Syndrela Das then extended India’s advantage by defeating Kalsoom Khan in straight games, winning 11-6, 11-7, 11-5. Sreeja Akula completed the sweep against Fatima Khan, registering another 3-0 victory with scores of 11-4, 11-4, 11-5.

India’s women had already opened their Asian Games campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Singapore. Their emphatic win over Pakistan now takes them into the Round of 16.

A different sporting picture

The handshakes carry particular significance because India-Pakistan cricket has followed a markedly different approach since the Pahalgam terror attack last year.

Indian players and captains have maintained a no-handshake stance with their Pakistani counterparts before and after matches.

That approach, however, has not been uniformly followed across sporting disciplines. Indian hockey players, for instance, were recently seen exchanging high-fives with Pakistan players during the Hockey World Cup.

The women’s table tennis contest at the Asian Games added another such moment, with the players repeatedly choosing to acknowledge their opponents at the end of each match.

On the scoreboard, India left little doubt about their superiority on the day. Off it, the handshakes provided one of the most noticeable images from the contest.

The Indian men’s table tennis team is also scheduled to face Pakistan later on Monday.