India Pakistan Women's Cricket Teams Skip Handshake Amid 2025 WC Tensions

During the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 group match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana deliberately avoided shaking hands at the toss, continuing a stance first seen during the men's Asia Cup 2025. This no-handshake approach is reportedly advised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) amid ongoing political tensions following recent terror attacks and military operations. The ICC does not mandate handshakes, and no disciplinary action is expected as long as the spirit of the game is maintained. India made one change to their lineup due to illness, while Pakistan also altered their squad, and the match is seen as a high-intensity contest in the tournament. The refusal to shake hands has drawn widespread attention and mirrors the political strains between the two nations, with India maintaining a firm stance on relations with Pakistan. The tournament itself is hosted in India and Sri Lanka, though Pakistan plays its matches in Colombo due to security concerns.