One hour left for toss, Pakistan team yet to reach Dubai Stadium for must-win game against UAE
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Tense Wait for Pakistan at Asia Cup: Team Delays Arrival Amid Handshake Controversy
Dubai, UAE: With just over an hour to go before the toss in their crucial Asia Cup group stage match against UAE, Pakistan’s cricket team hasn’t shown up at the Dubai International Stadium yet. The drama builds as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) threatens to boycott the tournament over a heated handshake row with India.
Pakistan skipped their pre-match press conference on Tuesday but did squeeze in a practice session. This move ties directly to their frustration with ICC match referee Andy Pycroft, whom the PCB wants removed from duties.
The whole issue exploded after Pakistan’s big loss to India on Sunday in Dubai. India won by 7 wickets in the high-stakes rivalry, but things turned sour when Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistan showed their anger by skipping the post-match presentation.
Tensions boiled over when the PCB filed a formal complaint against Pycroft. They accused him of breaking ICC Code of Conduct rules and ignoring the spirit of cricket laws from the MCC. But the International Cricket Council (ICC) has made it clear—they won’t act on Pakistan’s demand.
India’s decision to skip the handshake stems from rocky relations between the two countries, sparked by the horrific terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 tourists in that brutal incident, leaving deep wounds.
After the match, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav opened up about the team’s choice. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Some things in life matter more than sportsmanship. I mentioned it during the presentation too. We stand with all victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. We show our full solidarity."
Yadav also dedicated the win to India’s armed forces. "We honor the brave soldiers in Operation Sindoor. They inspire us every day, and we’ll do our best to inspire them back whenever we can," he added.
On the other side, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson voiced his team’s disappointment. India didn’t join in the traditional post-match handshake, even though Pakistan players approached them. Hesson didn’t outright blame the incident for captain Salman Agha’s absence from the post-match chat, but he hinted at it.
"We were ready to shake hands," Hesson told reporters. "It’s disappointing that our opponents didn’t. We walked over, but they’d already headed to the changing room. It was a sad way to end the match. We wanted that gesture of respect, but it didn’t happen."
As the clock ticks down for the Pakistan vs UAE clash, fans are glued to the Asia Cup updates. Will the team make it in time, or will the boycott threat shake up the tournament? Stay tuned for the latest cricket news from Dubai.
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