As anticipated, the tension between India and Pakistan persists. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur declined to acknowledge her Pakistani counterpart, Fatima Sana, during the toss ahead of the high-profile Women’s World Cup 2025 clash at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium.
The recently concluded Men’s Asia Cup was overshadowed by off-field drama between India and Pakistan, which began when Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused to shake hands with their opponents, citing strained political relations between the two countries.
As per media report, tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating since the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, spilling over onto the cricket field. From withheld handshakes to provocative gestures from Pakistani players, the Asia Cup was a showcase of this growing animosity. The tournament ended controversially, with India refusing to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, head of the ACC and PCB.
In the lead-up to the Women’s World Cup clash, speculation ran high over how India and Pakistan would handle the match. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia avoided giving a definitive answer, stating that the board’s stance on Pakistan remained unchanged. Even the pre-match press conferences offered no clues.
Now, the stage is set. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana entered the field separately, deliberately avoiding eye contact. After the coin toss, the captains briefly spoke to presenter Mel Jones before heading off in opposite directions.
At the toss, Pakistan won and elected to bowl first. Sana maintained her distance from Harmanpreet as she spoke to the broadcaster before leaving the field.
On the playing XI, Harmanpreet confirmed a single change: Amanjot Kaur, not fully fit, was replaced by Renuka Singh Thakur. “We played a good series here before the WC. We’re thinking positively and looking to do well. One unfortunate change – Amanjot isn’t playing, Renuka Singh Thakur replaces her. We’ve gelled well as a team and are looking forward to today’s contest,” she said.
Pakistan’s captain focused on her team’s game plan, noting that they were yet to defeat India in a women’s ODI. “We’re going to bowl first; it looks like there could be some moisture on the wicket. One change for us – our confidence is great, hopefully we’ll play better today. Anything under 250 could be a good chase,” said Sana.
India began the tournament on a high note with a win against Sri Lanka, while Pakistan suffered a loss against Bangladesh in their opening match.