India head coach Amol Muzumdar did not confirm whether the team will follow the no-handshake policy while facing arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing Women’s Asia Cup 2026, stating that they will address the matter when the match arrives.

During the pre-match press conference in Dubai, Muzumdar stated that the team ignores off-field discussions and focuses strictly on playing their best cricket. He emphasized that the squad's immediate priority is their opening group fixture against Thailand rather than future rivalries.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) implemented a strict no-handshake protocol following the Pahalgam terror attack and retaliatory Operation Sindoor in 2025, a stance the men's and women's sides have maintained in every meeting on the cricket field.

The Women in Blue will open their campaign against Thailand in Dubai on August 30. Harmanpreet Kaur and her troops will then face Hong Kong on September 3, followed by the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on September 5.

"Look, we try to play the best cricket on the ground and off-the-field stuff, we don't focus on it. We try to play the best cricket that we know on that particular day and we will speak about this when we play that game. But at the moment, we are focusing on tomorrow's game. One game at a time," Muzumdar told reporters on Saturday (August 29).

Meanwhile, India enter the continental tournament in the UAE as the most successful team, holding seven previous titles.

Asked whether the team is eyeing an eighth Asia Cup title, Muzumdar refused to look too far ahead.

"I don't want to go too far ahead. One game at a time. We will focus on tomorrow's game," he remarked.

The Women’s Asia Cup got underway on August 28, and runs until September 13. All matches of the competition will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.