Will India-Pakistan shake hands at Women's World Cup?
What's the story
The upcoming ICC Women's World Cup match between India and Pakistan has sparked speculation over whether the two teams will shake hands. The question comes in light of the recent Men's T20 Asia Cup, where the Indian men's team refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in as many as three games, including the final. The match is scheduled for October 5 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Here are further details.
Protocols
ICC protocols dictate handshake rules
As an ICC event, the Women's World Cup match will follow standard protocols, which include handshakes between both captains at the toss and post-match. However, it is reported that the Indian team has not received any specific instructions regarding this matter. An official familiar with the situation told The Indian Express: "It is an ICC event, so there will be protocols in place, which the team will keep in mind."
Reactions
Kamran Akmal suggests withdrawal; former Indian players divided
Former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal suggested that Pakistan should withdraw their women's team from the World Cup match against India. Meanwhile, former Indian players Shobha Pandit and Sandhya Agarwal offered differing views on how Harmanpreet Kaur should handle this situation. Notably, in the last Women's ODI World Cup in March 2022, India beat Pakistan by 107 runs but players from both teams shared heartwarming moments post-match.
Statement
Here's what Deepti said
Last month, India Women's team all-rounder Deepti Sharma was asked whether the players would refuse to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in the World Cup. "That match is far away, and when it happens, we will see what to do," the spin-bowling all-rounder had answered. "We are not focusing on the Asia Cup at the moment; our focus is on this series (against Australia)."