India vs Pakistan: Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana avoid handshake at toss
· India · Indian Express, Times of India, NDTV Sports
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan counterpart Fatima Sana skipped the customary handshake during the toss at a Women's Asia Cup match in Dubai. This marks nearly a year since the two teams began avoiding such interactions, a trend that started during the men's Asia Cup last year when Suryakumar Yadav declined a handshake with Salman Ali Agha following the Pahalgam attack. The practice has since extended to junior levels, including the Under-19 World Cup and Asia Cup Rising Stars meetings. While the freeze appears confined to cricket, the two nations' hockey teams shared a high-five during a way's World Cup fixture in Amstelveen. In this match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl India first to set a maximum total.
Why it matters
The continued avoidance of on-field protocol reflects the ongoing diplomatic and sporting tensions between the two nations, affecting multiple age groups in international cricket.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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