IND vs PAK, Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Will India Shake Hands With Pakistan? Harmanpreet Responds

A 'no-handshake' trend has become a huge talking point ahead of the big India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match. This follows a pattern where both men's and women's teams from the two countries have avoided handshakes since last year's Men's Asia Cup. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur has finally spoken up about it.

Just before the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash in the Women's T20 World Cup, a 'handshake controversy' has become the biggest talking point in the cricket world. The big match is set for Sunday evening at Edgbaston, and ahead of it, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur has finally clarified her stand on whether the team will shake hands with the Pakistani players.

Ever since last year's Men's Asia Cup, a clear pattern has emerged. Both the men's and women's teams from India and Pakistan have completely avoided shaking hands after their matches. This was seen during the U-19 World Cup, the Rising Stars Asia Cup, and even the Men's T20 World Cup. So naturally, at the press conference, a journalist asked if the BCCI had given any special instructions on this.

‘We Are Here Only to Play Cricket’

However, Harmanpreet handled the tricky questions about the handshake row very smartly. "We are here only to play cricket. We only talk about cricket, and we don't think about anything else. From day one, cricket has been our only dream. We are looking at tomorrow's game as just another normal match in our careers," Harmanpreet Kaur stated clearly.

The Indian captain did admit that there's always a lot of pressure when playing against Pakistan. "As a cricket fan, I've known the pressure of India-Pakistan matches since I started watching the game. Now that I'm on the field, it's a bit more. But we are lucky to be able to represent our country on such big stages. So, we try to enjoy that pressure and give our 100% on the field," Harmanpreet added.

India's Clear Upper Hand in Stats

Looking at current form and past records, India is the clear favourite in this contest. The head-to-head stats in T20 cricket are heavily in India's favour. Out of 16 T20 matches between the two teams, India has won 13, while Pakistan has managed to win only 3. 

Even in Women's T20 World Cup history, India has a dominant 6-2 lead. Harmanpreet and her team are determined to maintain this winning record and kick off their World Cup campaign with a victory at Edgbaston today.