India, Pakistan captains didn't shake hands at toss [Source: AFP]The much-talked-about 'no handshake' policy was maintained in the Women's T20 World Cup as captains from India and Pakistan weren't spotted performing the customary ritual at the toss. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur walked out for the toss along with her Pakistani counterpart Fatima Sana to get the high-voltage encounter underway at the iconic Edgbaston in Birmingham. Harmanpreet Kaur-led India persist with 'no handshake' with PakistanHarmanpreet won the toss and elected to bat first in the riveting contest against India's arch-rivals. CREX @Crex_live India won the toss and they have chosen to bat first in the World Cup opener against rivals Pakistan! and, there were no handshakes between the two captains. #INDvsPAK #T20WorldCup Jun 14, 2026, 6:40 PM After briefing the presenter from the broadcasting team on India Women's lineup and the rationale for batting first, the skipper ignored Fatima Sana and headed straight to the Indian dugout. Thus, the customary handshake between the India and Pakistan captains was skipped for yet another time since its first instance in the 2025 Asia Cup. India-Pakistan 'no handshake' policy: Origin and historyThe month of May witnessed one of the nastiest geopolitical tussles in the subcontinent as the Indian Government found Pakistan responsible for the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam. In retaliation, India launched multiple air strikes, targeting several terror bases in Pakistan, eventually inducing an aggressive response from its neighbouring nation. With massive tension brewing across the LOC, the BCCI had to halt the IPL 2025 until the militaries of both countries agreed to a ceasefire. However, the armed conflict at the LOC transcended much beyond, worsening the bilateral relations as well as their cricketing ties. The resumption of the bilateral series between India and Pakistan was already out of the question since 2012; so, the Indian players responded to the Pahalgam incident by deciding not to shake hands against their Pakistani counterparts. The then-Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav openly refused to perform the customary handshake with Salman Ali Agha. Suryakumar also dedicated India's victory over Pakistan to the Indian Army and the affected families of the Pahalgam massacre. Since the first group-stage match of the 2025 Asia Cup, the Indian players have avoided interacting and shaking hands with their Pakistani opponents, even during the post-match events. In fact, the Indian Women's team also ignored the Pakistani players in the ODI World Cup, standing by their male counterparts in the decision. Notably, performing the handshake is a customary act and is not mandated by the ICC. Therefore, India Women's skipper Harmanpreet Kaur did not breach any ICC protocol when she ignored Fatima Sana at the toss. India off to a shaky start vs Pakistan WomenAfter Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bat first, India Women had a disastrous start to their innings at the Edgbaston. Shafali Verma, who got the Indian fans going with a first-ball six, perished right after playing a delightful shot off Sadia Iqbal in the opening over. The dependable Jemimah Rodrigues fell for one before Harmanpreet joined the talismanic Smriti Mandhana in the middle to steady the ship. As of writing, India Women were in a spot of bother, placed at 30 for two in five overs. Follow IND-W vs PAK-W Live Updates For Each And Every Detail Of The High-Voltage Encounter.
