Harmanpreet Kaur’s blunt response to handshake row ahead of India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 clash

India and Pakistan are all set for another high-octane clash as the two rivals get ready to kickstart their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Matches between the neighbouring countries seldom need any extra motivation and this encounter is sure to grab massive attention from cricket fans across the globe.

Also Read: Rahmanullah Gurbaz: Gautam Gambhir’s advice helped me score hundred against India

Both the captains spoke to the media ahead of the much-anticipated clash, with India’s Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan’s Fatima Sana sharing their thoughts before the opening game.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Harmanpreet remains focused on cricket during the pre-match press conference, Harmanpreet was asked about things beyond the boundary ropes, including if there would be an awkward moment between the two captains before the game.

The India skipper, however, made it clear that her focus remains entirely on cricket and nothing else.

“Well, I think we are here for cricket, and we only talk about cricket; except for cricket, we don’t talk about anything, and I don’t even think about anything except cricket. Cricket has been our dream from day one, and we only talk about it. For tomorrow’s game, we are thinking of it as just another game we are going to play,” Harmanpreet told reporters.

Pressure always exists in India-Pakistan contests

While she described the upcoming encounter as another cricket match, Harmanpreet admitted that games against Pakistan naturally come with added pressure because of the history and attention surrounding the rivalry.

The experienced batter believes the key is to embrace that pressure rather than worry about it.

“Definitely pressure is going to be there, which I earlier agreed to; whenever we play against Pakistan, pressure will be there – but at the same time it’s only about how we are going to enjoy that pressure because in any international game, pressure is going to be there; it’s only about giving your 100% in that game and enjoying each and every moment,” she added.

India aiming to add T20 World Cup to trophy cabinet

India enter the tournament as the reigning Women’s ODI World Cup champions and are among the teams tipped to challenge strongly for the T20 title as well.

With expectations high, Harmanpreet acknowledged that representing India on a global stage always comes with responsibility, but she wants her team to enjoy the occasion.

“I won’t say there’s no pressure; there is pressure. Since I started watching cricket, as a supporter I have felt that pressure, and now that we play it’s even more. But at the same time we always say that the more we enjoy this game the better it is for us, because we are the lucky ones who are picked for this big occasion and we just want to enjoy ourselves on the field,” said Harmanpreet.

The skipper reiterated that the team’s focus remains on playing good cricket rather than getting distracted by the occasion.

“I think, more than anything, it is another game we are going to play tomorrow and we just want to play our best cricket,” she added.