Dubai, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India head coach Amol Muzumdar on Saturday declined to comment on the handshake protocol for the team’s upcoming Women’s Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on September 5, saying the side was focused solely on its opening match against Thailand.
Asked about the possibility of handshakes with Pakistan, Muzumdar said the team preferred to concentrate on cricket and would address the matter when the two sides meet.
“Look, we try to play the best cricket on the ground and off the field stuff, we don’t focus on it. We try to play the best cricket that we know on that particular day and we will speak about this when we play that game. But at the moment, we are focusing on tomorrow’s game. One game at a time,” he said at the pre-match press conference.
The no-handshake protocol involving Indian teams and Pakistan dates back to the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup, following the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025. During that tournament, the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team did not exchange handshakes with Pakistan in any of their three meetings, including the final.
The stance has subsequently been followed across senior, age-group and women’s cricket. India’s women also adhered to the protocol during their Women’s ODI World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo in October 2025, while the same approach was maintained at the Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup in November.
The protocol continued during the Under-19 Asia Cup in December 2025, as well as India-Pakistan encounters at the Under-19 World Cup and Men’s T20 World Cup in February 2026.
Most recently, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team maintained the stance during the Women’s T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan in Birmingham in June 2026. Harmanpreet had also declined to give a definitive response when asked during the pre-tournament press conference whether handshakes would take place during the Dubai encounter.
India enter the Women’s Asia Cup as the tournament’s most successful side, having won the title seven times. However, Muzumdar refused to look ahead to a potential eighth championship.
“I don’t want to go too far ahead. One game at a time. We will focus on tomorrow’s game,” he said.
India will begin their campaign against Thailand on Sunday.
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