Facing a must-win situation, the Pakistan cricket team has been directed to proceed to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for their third Asia Cup 2025 Group Stage match against the United Arab Emirates, even as uncertainty over their participation lingered following the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rejection of their plea to remove match referee Andy Pycroft.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had lodged a complaint with the ICC, alleging that Pycroft instructed skipper Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav during the toss in their Asia Cup clash on Sunday.
However, on Tuesday, the ICC dismissed Pakistan’s demand to remove Pycroft from the officiating panel, despite the PCB reportedly warning of a potential tournament pullout, a move that could have triggered major financial repercussions for the host nation.
Following the ICC’s denial, PCB spokesperson Amir Mir announced that the match had been delayed by an hour, from 8 pm IST to 9 pm IST, amid ongoing uncertainty.
“The consultation process is ongoing. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi is in talks with former chairmen Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, while online negotiations are also underway with Dubai officials. For now, the match between UAE and Pakistan has been delayed by one hour,” Mir said.
Later, PCB president Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)—the organisers of the Asia Cup—confirmed that the Salman Ali Agha-led squad had been instructed to leave for the stadium.
“We have asked the Pakistan team to depart for the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Further details to follow,” Naqvi posted on social media.
After opening their campaign with a win over Oman, Pakistan suffered a seven-wicket thrashing at the hands of India, with the contest drawing further attention after the Indian players walked off the field without the customary handshake.
Pakistan now face a do-or-die clash against the UAE in their final group stage fixture, with the match serving as a virtual knockout for a place in the Super Four.
Meanwhile, the UAE, who endured a heavy defeat against India in their opener, bounced back strongly to beat Oman and keep their campaign alive.
They now have a golden opportunity to push for a Super Four berth against a Pakistan side still reeling from both a morale-shattering defeat to India and the distraction of off-field controversies.