Ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 clash against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai on September 17, 2025, the Pakistan team boycotted the pre-match press conference. Both Pakistan and the UAE face a must-win situation, with Super 4s qualification at stake, as India have already secured a spot in the second round after victories in their first two matches.
Pakistan’s decision to skip the press conference follows their earlier threat to withdraw from the tournament if Pycroft was not removed from his role.
The controversy stems from the “no handshake” incident during Pakistan’s match against India, which the PCB attributed to Pycroft. The board filed an official protest, claiming that Pycroft instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with India’s Suryakumar Yadav during the toss.
Despite the protest, the ICC confirmed that the 69-year-old Zimbabwean referee will continue officiating, including Pakistan’s final group-stage match against the UAE on Wednesday.
Will Pakistan Withdraw from the Asia Cup 2025?
The players were scheduled to address the media tonight, but the session was unexpectedly called off without any explanation. Despite the cancellation, the Pakistan squad was seen training ahead of Wednesday’s (September 17) must-win match against the UAE.
This encounter is effectively a knockout, with the winner advancing to the Super Four stage. Reports suggest that if Pakistan pulls out of the game, they will be eliminated from the tournament. In that scenario, the UAE would make history by reaching the next round of the Asia Cup for the first time ever.
