India vs Pakistan: No Handshake Between Captains at Women's T20 WC

Birmingham: The ongoing "no-handshake" trend between Indian and Pakistani cricket teams continued on Sunday as India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana avoided the customary pre-match handshake during the toss ahead of their ICC Women's T20 World Cup encounter at Edgbaston.

The highly anticipated Group A clash attracted significant attention both on and off the field, with many fans and observers keen to see whether the traditional gesture of sportsmanship would take place amid the strained political relations between the two neighboring countries. However, the captains proceeded with the toss formalities without exchanging handshakes, continuing a pattern that has been seen in recent India-Pakistan cricket meetings.

The issue had become a talking point in the lead-up to the match. When asked about the possibility of handshakes before the game, Harmanpreet Kaur chose to focus on cricket, stating that her team was concentrating solely on the sport and treating the match like any other international contest. She emphasized that discussions within the Indian camp revolved around cricket rather than external issues.

Despite the off-field attention, India delivered a dominant performance on the field. After winning the toss and electing to bat, India posted a competitive total of 170 for 6, powered by a brilliant 68 from Smriti Mandhana and valuable contributions from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh.

Pakistan began their chase positively but struggled against India's spin attack. Deepti Sharma emerged as the star performer with the ball, claiming five wickets for just 10 runs as Pakistan collapsed to 106 all out. India secured a comprehensive 64-run victory to begin their Women's T20 World Cup campaign in impressive fashion.

The absence of handshakes between Indian and Pakistani players has become increasingly noticeable in recent years, reflecting broader diplomatic tensions that have occasionally spilled into sporting events. Nevertheless, both teams maintained professionalism throughout the contest, with the focus ultimately shifting to the cricket on display.

With the win, India strengthened its position in the group stage and gained an early boost in net run rate, while Pakistan will look to regroup ahead of its next fixture in the tournament.