A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official has stated that there is “no assurance” that India and Pakistan players will shake hands when the two sides meet during the Women’s World Cup on Sunday, according to the BBC.
The development comes days after tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad spilled over onto the cricketing field during the Sept 9-28 Men’s Asia Cup staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), when Indian cricketers refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during all three clashes in the tournament. The tensions had culminated in India not accepting the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief.
The tournament had seen the first cricket matches between the two sides since the military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May after India had launched air strikes in Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack[1] in occupied Kashmir. Pakistan had denied involvement, and the crisis eased following US intervention[2].
Against this backdrop, Pakistan is kicking off its Women’s World Cup campaign today by playing Bangladesh in Colombo. Pakistan will face India in the tournament on Sunday.
According to a report published by BBC Sport[3] on Wednesday, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia told BBC Stumped — a weekly cricket show — the following: “I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same, there is no change in the last week.”
He added, “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 Marylebone Cricket Club 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,” he said.
Meanwhile, The Indian Express[4] reported while citing BCCI sources that the Indian team had been advised by the board to avoid handshakes with Pakistan’s players before they departed for Sri Lanka.
The sources noted, “The team won’t be shaking hands with the Pakistan team during the World Cup. The team has been informed by the BCCI bosses about this. The Indian board will stand by its players.”
A day earlier, PCB chief Naqvi had refuted claims[5] by Indian media that he had apologised to the BCCI over the trophy handover issue[6] at Sunday’s Asia Cup final.
The closing ceremony of the Asia Cup had descended into farce as the Indian cricket team refused to collect the winners’ trophy from the ACC chief, marking a historic low in cricketing relations between the two countries. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav complained his side were denied the trophy after winning the Asia Cup. Later, Indian media alleged that Naqvi had himself refused to hand the trophy over to the Indian team.
Subsequently, several Indian outlets, including IndiaToday, Financial Express and Hindustan Times, reported that Naqvi had apologised to the BCCI, but that he still refused to hand them the trophy.
Responding to the media reports, Naqvi had stated, “Indian media thrives on lies, not facts. Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so.”
The PCB chairman called the claims “fabricated nonsense” and “cheap propaganda”, saying it was aimed at misleading Indian people. He slammed India for continuing to “drag politics into cricket, damaging the very spirit of the game”.
“As ACC chairman, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now,” he said. “If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me.”
References
- ^ Pahalgam attack (www.dawn.com)
- ^ intervention (www.dawn.com)
- ^ BBC Sport (www.bbc.com)
- ^ The Indian Express (indianexpress.com)
- ^ claims (www.indiatoday.in)
- ^ trophy handover issue (www.dawn.com)