Match referee Shandre Fritz appeared to make a mistake during Sunday’s toss proceedings for India’s Women’s World Cup match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, declaring Pakistan captain Fatima Sana the winner.
Fatima Sana called “tails” as India captain Harmanpreet Kaur flipped the coin, but Fritz misheard and said “heads,” and presenter Mel Jones also followed suit.
The coin landed on heads, and the decision went Pakistan’s way, allowing the Women in Green to bowl first under overcast skies.
Harmanpreet too remained silent and went over to Jones for a conversation following the Pakistan captain.
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Following the example set by the men’s team at the Asia Cup, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur did not shake hands with her Pakistani counterpart Fatima Sana during the toss.
The players were instructed by the BCCI to refrain from shaking hands with Pakistani squad members.
Both captains kept their distance throughout the ceremony, as Mel Jones conducted the toss.
All three of India and Pakistan’s matches at the just finished men’s Asia Cup were played in a hostile environment. Before and after the match, India cricketers did not shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
Additionally, winners India declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board and a government interior minister with a strong anti-Indian stance.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 Indian tourists were shot dead by terrorists supported by Pakistan, tensions between the two neighbors are at an all-time high.
After that, India began a military operation known as “Operation Sindoor” to destroy the infrastructure supporting terrorism on the other side of the border.
