India W vs. Pakistan W: Rivalry Renewed at 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup
High stakes and higher emotions expected for Ind-Pak clash in Colombo
Recently, cricket lovers have been able to set Sundays aside for India and Pakistan clashes, as this will be the fourth week in a row in which these arch-rivals will meet - albeit the previous three were at the Men’s Asia Cup 2025.
As it was in the Asia Cup, India enter this match as the clear favourites, and our experts are expecting the Women in Blue to produce another commanding performance against their neighbours, according to our India Women vs Pakistan Women prediction.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side got their campaign off to the perfect start by beating tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka by 59 runs (DLS method) in Match 2, with Deepti Sharma delivering a Player of the Match performance, scoring a run-a-ball 53 before taking 3/54 with the ball.
Pakistan, on the other hand, lost their opening match against Bangladesh by seven wickets, with only Rameen Shamim and Fatima Sana managing to surpass the 20-run mark, as the team were bowled out for just 129 runs in the 39th over.
India have dominated this fixture over the years, winning each of the last 11 ODI matches between these sides. Pakistan’s only victories against the Women in Blue have come in the shortest format, where they’ve secured three wins in 16 games.
Handshake controversy to continue in Women’s WC clash?
One of the major talking points leading up to this match has been whether India and Pakistan will share the customary pre- and post-match handshakes, which caused a huge stir when their male counterparts faced off in the Asia Cup.
For all three matches between the men's teams, Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Salman Ali Agha, while India also refused to receive the Asia Cup trophy or their medals from PCB and ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi.
As a result, many have questioned whether we are likely to see the women’s teams follow suit. In a recent interview with the media, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia was quizzed on this, to which he responded:
"Whether there will be handshakes, whether there will be hugging, I cannot assure you of anything this moment. I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same. There is no change in the last week."
India’s refusal to shake hands has been met with mixed emotions from the cricketing world, with several former greats urging the teams to leave politics out of sport, while others are in full agreement with India’s decision to avoid the customary pleasantries.
