Dubai, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India and Pakistan continued their no-handshake protocol during their Group A clash at the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, with captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana avoiding the customary pre-match greeting at the toss.
After Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat, former Sri Lanka cricketer Farveez Maharoof called Fatima to speak. However, there was no handshake between the Pakistan captain and Harmanpreet. The captains also did not exchange handshakes after the toss proceedings.
The protocol has been followed by Indian cricket teams across senior, women’s and age-group competitions amid diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan since April 2025.
India head coach Amol Muzumdar had played down questions about the issue ahead of the tournament.
“We try to play the best cricket on the ground and off the field stuff, we don’t focus on it,” Muzumdar had said.
He added that the team would focus on the cricket and address the matter when it played Pakistan.
The no-handshake practice dates back to the men’s Asia Cup in the UAE in September 2025, when the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team did not exchange handshakes with Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan side in any of their three meetings, including the final in Dubai.
The stance was subsequently maintained by Indian teams in several competitions.
The Indian women’s team followed the protocol during its Women’s ODI World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo in October 2025. Similar scenes were witnessed at the Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup in November, followed by the Under-19 Asia Cup in December.
The practice continued during the Under-19 World Cup and Men’s T20 World Cup in February 2026. Most recently, Harmanpreet’s side did not exchange handshakes with Pakistani players during their Women’s T20 World Cup meeting in Birmingham in June.
At a pre-tournament press conference in Dubai, Harmanpreet had declined to give a definitive response when asked whether the protocol would continue during the latest India-Pakistan contest.
Saturday’s toss, however, confirmed that the no-handshake stance remains in place.
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