Pakistan still uncertain about Asia Cup boycott, players await instructions from PCB

Pakistan is yet to take a call on their future participation in the Asia Cup with less than 24 hours to go for their clash against UAE

The Pakistan cricket team is reportedly awaiting instructions from the PCB on their future participation in Asia Cup 2025. On Tuesday, reports claimed that the ICC had rejected Pakistan’s demand to remove Andy Pycroft as a match referee from the tournament following the handshake row that erupted in the IND vs PAK game. While Salman Ali Agha and co. did train at the ICC Academy in Dubai alongside India on Tuesday, they cancelled the pre-match press conference before their scheduled clash with the UAE on September 17.

PCB yet to take a call on Asia Cup future

As per Cricbuzz, the PCB is expected to meet on Tuesday night to decide on the future course of action in the Asia Cup. The report states the board is awaiting the return of chairman Mohsin Naqvi from Islamabad to Lahore as he had gone to consult the government on their future participation in the event. Pakistan had earlier threatened to withdraw from the tournament if Pycroft was not removed as the match referee. It is also pertinent to point out that Pycroft is also the designated match referee for the side’s do-or-die clash against the UAE on Wednesday.

“As a minister in the Pakistan government, Naqvi’s visit to Islamabad should have been a routine one, but it is learnt that this visit was to discuss the handshake controversy, its implications and the standoff with the ICC over Pycroft, who is the designated match referee for Wednesday’s game,” the report states.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team reportedly wrapped up their practice session on Tuesday before the arrival of the Pakistan team. The handshake row began in the IND vs PAK clash where Suryakumar Yadav and co. snubbed the Pakistan players and went straigh back to the dressing room without exchanging pleasantaries. Later, PCB said in a statement that it had lodged a strong protest the ICC. It also alleged that Andy Pycroft had instructed the captains to not shake hands at the time of the toss.