Faitma Sana and Jemimah Rodrigues (Source: X)
The India-Pakistan controversy and the 'no handshake' policy have remained one of the biggest talking points in cricket over the past year.
A similar discussion resurfaced during the 13th match of The Hundred Women’s Competition 2026 at Southampton on July 30, where Southern Brave Women took on Birmingham Phoenix Women.
The post-match interaction between Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues and Pakistan captain Fatima Sana grabbed attention across social media. The two players shared a handshake before warmly embracing each other, a gesture that quickly went viral.
Twitter Reacts As Jemimah Rodrigues And Fatima Sana Share Heartwarming Hug
The hug between Jemimah Rodrigues and Fatima Sana became a major talking point because it came at a time when India and Pakistan players have largely avoided handshakes during international matches.
Relations between India and Pakistan have remained tense after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. India first adopted a strict no handshake approach during the Asia Cup 2025, and the women’s team followed the same practice during the World Cup later that year.
However, franchise tournaments played outside India and Pakistan have often presented a different picture.
Jemimah congratulated Fatima Sana after the game in The Hundred. The two first exchanged handshakes before sharing a warm hug.
Soon after the clip surfaced online, several fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their views.
One user wrote, "This is not a BCCI event. Keep your stupidity away from sports."
Another fan posted, "Jemimah Rodrigues shared a heartwarming hug with Fatima Sana after Southern Brave’s match against Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred 2026."
A third user commented, "Everyone debating if Fatima Sana and Jemimah Rodrigues would shake hands and they straight up HUGGED?! Keep politics out of sports FOREVER."
Another fan simply wrote, 'We manifest Smriti and universe gave us Jemimah! Over the moon already."
Also Read: Pakistan Captain Skips National Duty For The Hundred 2026
"Everyone debating if Fatima Sana and jemimah Rodrigues would shake hands and they straight up HUGGED?!😭😭🙏 Keep politics out of sports FOREVER." @anhnjo
Shameful @RCB_Mania
What Is The India-Pakistan Handshake Row?
The handshake controversy began in 2025 after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. After India blamed Pakistan-based terrorists for the attack, military tensions escalated, with India launching strikes on terror infrastructure across the border.
The situation also affected cricket, forcing the BCCI to temporarily suspend IPL 2025 before the tournament resumed after a ceasefire was announced.
The deteriorating political climate also impacted India-Pakistan matches. During the Asia Cup 2025, then India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav chose not to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha before or after their match.
He later said the gesture was intended to honour the victims of the Pahalgam attack and express support for the Indian armed forces.
From that tournament onward, Indian players consistently avoided handshakes and post-match interactions with Pakistani players during international fixtures. The Indian women's team maintained the same stance during the T20 World Cup, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur also refraining from customary handshakes with Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana.
It is important to note that the ICC does not make handshakes mandatory. As a result, Indian players did not violate any ICC playing conditions by choosing not to participate in the customary gesture.
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