India will begin their Women’s Asia Cup 2026 campaign against Thailand on Sunday, August 30. The Indian team will enter the tournament as the defending champions and will look to start with a win.
However, the biggest group-stage match will be against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 5 at the Dubai International Stadium. Apart from the result, one question is already being discussed: Will the Indian and Pakistani players shake hands before or after the match?
India head coach Amol Muzumdar was asked about the matter ahead of the Thailand game. He said the team is focused on cricket and does not want to discuss off-field matters before the match.
What did Amol Muzumdar say about the India-Pakistan handshake?
Muzumdar did not give a direct answer about whether the players would shake hands against Pakistan.
He said the Indian team is focused on playing its best cricket and does not want to focus on things happening off the field.
‘We try to play the best cricket on the ground and off-the-field stuff, we don’t focus on it,’ Muzumdar said. He also added that the team would speak about the matter when the Pakistan game comes closer. For now, India are taking the tournament one game at a time.
Why is the handshake question important?
The handshake has become an important talking point in India-Pakistan cricket matches since 2025.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, the BCCI introduced a no-handshake policy for Indian teams playing against Pakistan.
The policy was first seen during the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup, when India and Pakistan did not shake hands in their matches, including the final.
When did Indian teams continue the no-handshake policy?
The policy was followed by Indian teams at different levels after the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup.
The Indian women’s team also followed the same protocol during their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo.
It was later seen in the Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup, as well as the Under-19 Asia Cup in December 2025.
The same approach continued during the Under-19 World Cup and Men’s T20 World Cup in February 2026.
Who followed the policy most recently?
The Indian women’s team followed the policy again during their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan in Birmingham.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s team did not shake hands with the Pakistani players before or after the match.
This has made the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup clash another important moment to watch.
Where will India play Pakistan in the Asia Cup?
India and Pakistan will meet at the Dubai International Stadium on September 5.
India will first play Thailand on August 30 before facing Pakistan in their next big group-stage game.
For now, Muzumdar has made it clear that the Indian team wants to concentrate on the cricket. Whether the no-handshake policy will continue against Pakistan will become clear when the two teams meet in Dubai.