The Men in Green have won one out of the two fixtures so far.
The Pakistan cricket team has cancelled the press conference ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 fixture against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The decision came after the handshake controversy surrounding their clash against India.
Usually, the drama unfolds in the game. But there was one instance in the ongoing multinational tournament, where the drama actually began after the last ball was bowled. Suryakumar Yadav smashed the winning runs over the deep mid-wicket boundary, as India secured a thumping victory against arch-rivals on Sunday. Everything until this point was absolutely normal. But what the Men in Blue did next sent shockwaves in the Pakistan camp.
The India captain and Shivam Dube walked off the ground. They went into the dressing room and closed the door. There were no handshakes from the Men in Blue, and this is what ended up rattling the Shaheens. Within minutes, the image of both captains facing opposite was trending on social media, with all experts jumping into the debate with their opinions.
As per reports, match referee Andy Pycroft instructed Suryakumar to refrain from shaking hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Agha at the toss. That is where the entire plot was laid. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demanded that the International Cricket Council (ICC) take action against Pycroft. But the ICC denied doing so. And hence, the Men in Green have cancelled their press conference ahead of their next fixture.
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All of Pakistan’s hopes rest on the result of their next fixture against the UAE. A win against the hosts will see them through to the Super Fours. On the other hand, a loss can put them on the flight back home. Both Pakistan and the UAE stand with two points currently, and are placed in the middle of the table. India are through to the next stage with two wins in as many fixtures. Oman, having lost both games, will play their last game against India in search of pride.
The Shaheens managed to beat Oman comprehensively in their opener. The UAE have also registered a victory against Oman and will be hungry to give their everything in the match against Pakistan. The two teams have locked horns against each other three times, two of which have come in the last 20 days. Though the Shaheens have managed to win on all three occasions, the UAE will know the effort they will need to put in.
Having said that, Pakistan had threatened to pull out of the ongoing tournament amid the controversy doing the rounds. The fact that they decided to cancel the press conference before their fixture is indicative of their agitation. However, if they choose to pull out of the tournament, the UAE will automatically qualify for the Super Fours, giving them the chance to brush shoulders against the best, again.
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