In the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on June 14, India Women won decisively against Pakistan Women at Edgbaston. However, the lack of handshakes between the teams caught attention. There were no handshakes during the toss or after the match.
When asked about this, Pakistan coach Wahab Riaz chose not to address the situation directly. The reporter began by apologizing for mixing political issues with sports, but Riaz stated he was unaware of the reason for the absence of handshakes and noted it wouldn’t have a major impact.
“I’m sorry to ask this, but we noticed there were no handshakes again today. What’s the relationship like between the players and the staff from the two different teams? Are you friendly behind the scenes, or is it just frosty?” the reporter inquired, as noted by NDTV Sports.
“See, I don’t know. I just left Cricket way before, so I don’t know the reason for not shaking hands. But I think if things want to move like this, let’s go like that. It won’t make a big difference,” replied Riaz.
On the pitch, India Women delivered a strong performance. With a remarkable five-wicket haul from Deepti Sharma, India bowled out Pakistan for 106, starting their pursuit of a first Women’s T20 World Cup title with a convincing win. Defending a total of 170 runs, India secured a 64-run victory before a packed crowd of 18,814 at Edgbaston, setting a record attendance for a Women’s T20 World Cup group-stage match.
Pakistan began their chase well, but India steadily gained control of the match. Deepti took two wickets early on, and Pakistan’s hopes rested on Muneeba Ali, who scored 41 after surviving two dropped catches. However, she was run out in the 11th over due to a spectacular direct hit from backward point, shifting momentum towards India.
Following the dismissal of Pakistan captain Fatima Sana at 77 for 5, the innings fell apart. Deepti sealed the match by taking the last three wickets in just five balls, ending with impressive figures of 5 for 10.
This performance also made Deepti the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20 cricket with 166 wickets. Shree Charani supported well with figures of 3 for 21, helping India achieve a memorable opening win.