Amid tension, Harmanpreet-led India look to maintain grip vs Pak

The women’s team have a 1-0 record and will start favourites in Colombo today

- Samreen Razzaqui [e-mail]

Every time India and Pakistan face each other, the contest is rarely confined to the cricket field.

The latest chapter in their intense rivalry, in the Women's World Cup in neutral Colombo on Sunday, comes after a week where off-field controversies have taken centrestage.

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his Pakistan counterpart at the toss during last month's T20 Asia Cup, a tournament that ended with a bigger row over the winners' trophy that is yet to be sorted. It has only increased the scrutiny ahead of the women’s tie.

Already, former Pakistan captain Sana Mir's on-air reference to Kashmir and India’s decision to maintain the no-handshake rule has raised tension in the buildup to the clash.

Amid the noise, both teams insist that the focus remains firmly on cricket. For India, that focus comes from a position of sheer dominance. They have never lost to Pakistan in ODIs — a 11-0 record spanning nearly two decades. They also opened their campaign with a reassuring victory over Sri Lanka.