India, Sept. 5 -- India and Pakistan's latest meeting at the Women's Asia Cup in Dubai brought one of the most unusual features of their cricket rivalry back into focus - the handshake, or the absence of one. What would ordinarily have been an unremarkable sporting has become a closely watched part of every encounter between the two countries over the past year.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana did not exchange the customary handshakes and avoided eye contact during the toss of their latest encounter, continuing the practice that has followed their cricket teams since the men's Asia Cup last year. It meant that despite another change of tournament and personnel, there was no change in India's approach towards its neighbours. Even after t...