Three Sundays and three India vs Pakistan cricket matches-all in the Asia Cup 2025-have produced monumental political drama. The Indian team refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts and even refused to receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi (who is also a Pakistani minister) after winning the final. The precedent has been set by Indian men’s team captain Suryakumar Yadav. Now, Indian women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur is bound to be under the spotlight during the Women’s World Cup 2025 clash against the team from across the border.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Devajit Saikia, was asked if the Indian women’s team’s stance while playing against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup would be the same as the men’s team’s. He refused to respond to the query in a “yes or no” manner but said that India’s relationship with Pakistan has not changed in the last week.
“I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same; there is no change in the last week,” Saikia told BBC Stumped.
“India will play that match against Pakistan in Colombo, and all cricket protocols will be followed. I can only assure that whatever is in the MCC regulations of cricket, that will be done. Whether there will be handshakes, whether there will be hugging, I cannot assure you of anything at this moment,” he further said.
Considering the current political relations between India and Pakistan, it’s fair to say that handshakes are unlikely to be exchanged between the two teams during the Women’s ODI World Cup.
“The BCCI is aligned with the government, and there will be no customary handshake at the toss, no photo-shoot with the match referee, and no end-of-game handshakes. The policy followed by the men will also be implemented by the women,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
India and Pakistan are scheduled to square off in the Women’s ODI World Cup on 5 October in Colombo.