No Handshake Again: India-Pakistan Women's Asia Cup Encounter Sparks Controversy
Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana skip the customary greeting after the toss in Dubai, reigniting tensions from the previous Asia Cup.
The rivalry between India and Pakistan women's cricket teams took an awkward turn on September 5 during their Asia Cup 2026 clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. After Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was seen deliberately stepping aside as Sana approached the anchor to announce her decision. Later, when the two crossed paths on the field, neither offered a handshake, signaling a continued freeze in relations.
This incident echoes the men's Asia Cup 2025 controversy, when the Indian team refused to shake hands with Pakistani players in protest against the Pahalgam terror attack. That earlier standoff had already heightened diplomatic and sporting tensions between the neighboring nations. The women's teams have now seemingly carried that same sentiment into their own tournament, with the latest snub triggering widespread debate online about sportsmanship and political overtones in cricket.
The video of the non-interaction quickly went viral, with fans and commentators divided over whether the cold behavior was justified or against the spirit of the game. Neither captain has publicly addressed the moment, but the optics have added another layer to an already intensely watched rivalry, leaving many to wonder if the no-handshake policy has now become an unofficial norm in India-Pakistan cricket encounters.