Pakistan captain Salman Agha walks off, along with his team-mates behind him, after the defeat in opposition to India throughout Asia Cup 2025 at Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 14, 2025. — AFP
DUBAI: Pakistan cricket group has cancelled its scheduled pre-match press convention forward of the much-anticipated Tremendous 4 fixture in opposition to India within the males’s Asia Cup tomorrow (Sunday) at Dubai Worldwide Stadium.
The choice was formally confirmed immediately (Saturday), though the group administration gave no purpose.
Based on the main points, a Pakistani participant or a member of the assist workers was supposed to handle the media at 6 pm native time, but it surely was known as off. The rationale behind the cancellation will not be but identified.
Pakistan had additionally skipped a pre-match press convention earlier than their group-stage match in opposition to the United Arab Emirates earlier within the event. This marks the second time within the Asia Cup 2025 that the group has withdrawn from a scheduled media briefing.
The most recent transfer comes within the backdrop of the “handshake controversy” that adopted Pakistan’s earlier conflict with India, which attracted appreciable consideration each on and off the sector.
India received the September 14 group match by seven wickets in Dubai and afterwards refused to shake palms with their opponents, angering Pakistan.
It was the primary assembly between the neighbours since a four-day armed battle in Could left greater than 70 individuals useless.
The Pakistan Cricket Board lodged a protest with the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC), saying that match referee Andy Pycroft had informed skipper Salman Agha to not method Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake on the toss.
The PCB demanded that Pycroft be faraway from their matches and threatened to withdraw from the eight-team T20I competitors.
Their final group sport was held up for an hour earlier than the PCB stated Pycroft had apologised, and the match, with the Zimbabwean in cost, ultimately went forward.
Based on the PCB, Pycroft described the incident on account of miscommunication. The ICC has indicated its willingness to conduct a proper inquiry into the alleged breach of the code of conduct.
Pakistan beat the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, to qualify for the following stage, the Tremendous Fours, and arrange one other assembly with India in Dubai.
Indian media reported that the group plans to stay to its no-handshake coverage for Sunday’s conflict.
Simmering tensions
Due to fraught political ties, nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan solely meet at impartial venues throughout multi-team tournaments.
Tensions soared forward of the Asia Cup after the 2 international locations engaged of their worst battle since 1999. The hostilities in Could left greater than 70 individuals useless in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, earlier than a ceasefire.
The battle was triggered by an April assault on civilians in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing, a cost Islamabad denies.
India resisted calls to boycott the primary Pakistan match.
A possible third India-Pakistan showdown looms if either side qualify for the ultimate on September 28 in Dubai.
This can be a growing story and is being up to date with additional particulars
