Will India & Pakistan players shake hands in Women's Asia Cup 2026?
(Courtesy : X/BCCI)
India Women have officially qualified for the Women’s Asia Cup semi-final in 2026.
India and Pakistan matches have rarely been short of attention, but in recent years the focus has extended beyond what happens with just bat and ball to gestures before and after the match.
Particularly, the shaking of hands went on to become a major talking point between the two teams, especially after they avoided doing the gesture during the Asia Cup 2025 matches.
That issue is once again in the spotlight as Harmanpreet Kaur’s India prepares to face Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in Dubai. With the match scheduled for September 5, only one question remains unanswered: whether the players from the two teams will engage in this friendly conduct or not.
What did India say about the handshake protocol?
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India head coach Amol Mazumdar refused to confirm whether the players will shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. Speaking ahead of India’s opening match of the tournament, Mazumdar said that the team is concentrating on cricket and not on petty matters like this.
This clearly implies that officially nothing has been confirmed as to whether handshakes will take place or not. However, recent precedent makes a continuation of the no-handshake stance a massive possibility. Even Harmanpreet did not give a clear response when the issue was raised with the Indian skipper.
The Indian women’s team have followed the same approach as the men’s team in Pakistan’s encounters. At the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in June, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side did not shake hands with the Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana at the toss.
The issue therefore goes beyond one individual match. Indian teams have maintained the position across different competitions, making the September 5 encounter another closely watched occasion.
India will be entering the contest after securing victories over Thailand and Hong Kong. The win over Hong Kong in the last game included a record-breaking hundred from Smriti Mandhana. It seems clear that for Mazumdar and his team, the priority remains cricket.
What is India Women’s record in Asia Cups against Pakistan Women?
The Women in Blue hold a dominant 12–1 win-loss record against Pakistan Women in the Women’s Asia Cup.
How many Women’s Asia T20I Cups have India Women Won?
They won three Asia Cup T20I title in 2012, 2016, and 2022.
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