India vs Pakistan Women’s T20 World Cup: No Handshake at Toss Again as Harmanpreet Kaur Focuses Solely on Cricket

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana once again avoided a handshake during the toss ahead of their Women’s T20 World Cup encounter at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday.

The incident marked the second consecutive ICC tournament meeting between the two sides where the customary gesture was absent, following a similar scene during their Women’s ODI World Cup clash at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium in October 2025.

After winning the toss, India chose to bat first. Explaining the decision, Harmanpreet said the surface appeared favourable for batting and the team wanted to post a competitive total.

She noted that India’s triumph in the previous World Cup had significantly boosted the squad’s confidence, and the players were eager to carry that momentum into the current tournament.

The Indian captain expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparations, saying several areas had been addressed during the build-up to the competition.

She also confirmed a change in the playing XI, with Bharti Fulmali replacing Yastika Bhatia. India opted for a balanced bowling attack featuring three spinners and two pace bowlers.

The team management reshuffled the batting order as well. Bharti Fulmali was handed the number five position, while Jemimah Rodrigues moved up to bat at number three.

India’s bowling unit included spinners Deepti Sharma, Sree Charani and Shreyanka Patil, alongside pacers Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Gaud.

The absence of handshakes has increasingly become a feature of India-Pakistan cricket contests since the 2025 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Similar scenes were witnessed during multiple meetings between the two nations in men’s cricket, including encounters involving former India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, as well as their match at the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in Colombo.

When asked before the game whether she expected a handshake with Fatima Sana, Harmanpreet deliberately steered the conversation away from the issue.

She stressed that her focus remained entirely on cricket and insisted that matters beyond the game did not occupy her thoughts.

According to Harmanpreet, cricket has always been the primary focus for the team.

She said the players were treating the Pakistan clash as just another international fixture and were concentrating on delivering their best performance on the field.

The Indian skipper also acknowledged the unique pressure associated with India-Pakistan contests.

However, she emphasised that pressure is an unavoidable aspect of international cricket and that the key lies in embracing the challenge rather than being overwhelmed by it.

Harmanpreet said the team’s objective was to give its maximum effort and enjoy every moment of the contest.

Historically, India have enjoyed the upper hand in Women’s T20 World Cup meetings against Pakistan, winning six of their eight encounters.

They have also emerged victorious in four of their last five T20 internationals against their arch-rivals, further underlining their strong record in the rivalry.