Pakistan, Oct. 5 -- COLOMBO - The Women's World Cup encounter between India and Pakistan carried additional tension on Sunday, as captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana avoided the traditional handshake during the toss ceremony. Sana, leading Pakistan, won the toss and opted to bowl first at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium, but the lack of greetings overshadowed the pre-match atmosphere.

The decision to skip handshakes extended beyond the captains, with players from both sides refraining from exchanging formal greetings before the national anthems. This mirrored the same behavior seen during the recent men's Asia Cup, where players from both nations avoided physical gestures of camaraderie amid heightened political and sporting tension...