India’s women’s cricket team starts the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a record win over Pakistan, defeating their arch-rivals by 64 runs in a Group A match at Edgbaston on Sunday. India posts a strong total and then restricts Pakistan, winning after taking the last wicket and celebrating with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and players including Deepti Sharma.
A notable element of the contest is that India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana do not exchange handshakes at the toss, continuing a pattern that has appeared in recent India–Pakistan encounters across multiple formats. The coverage also notes that Harmanpreet walks away without shaking hands and that the “no handshake” approach has been seen in other ICC tournaments, with captains in earlier India–Pakistan matches avoiding the customary gesture.
After the match, India’s players move through the usual post-match routine, including handshakes with umpires and match officials, while no post-match pleasantries are exchanged between the two teams. Pakistan’s wicket celebrations are also highlighted by social media clips showing Sana’s aggressive reaction after dismissing Harmanpreet during India’s innings.
