The Asia Cup may have ended, but the India vs Pakistan drama hasn’t. What happened three days ago in Dubai wasn’t the end of the controversy. On October 5, we’ll get back to what originally started it all: a refused handshake.
The simple act of skipping the customary greeting post-match sparked it all, and then it spiralled out of control. We might relive the handshake gate again. India and Pakistan will meet again, but in a different format (ODI) and in a different tournament (Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025).
The tension was palpable. It seemed there was animosity between Indian and Pakistani players in the Asia Cup. Will that remain the case when the women face off? The answer might be yes. Four days before the clash, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia spoke about what to expect in Colombo.
Expect heat in Women’s IND vs PAK match
Saikia hasn’t done any favour to ease the situation. He labelled Pakistan a ‘hostile country’ before the match and stated there won’t be a change when it comes to the relationship between the two countries.
“I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same; there is no change in the last week,” Saikia told BBC Stumped.
The BCCI Secretary didn’t confirm whether India Women will greet Pakistan Women on October 5 but has ensured that the Women in Blue will follow all Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) guidelines.
“India will play that match against Pakistan in Colombo, and all cricket protocols will be followed. I can only assure that whatever is in the MCC regulations of cricket, that will be done. Whether there will be handshakes, whether there will be hugging, I cannot assure you of anything at this moment,” Saikia added.
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