As the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four encounter between India and Pakistan approaches at the Dubai International Stadium, Pakistan’s preparations have taken an interesting turn. PCB chairman and ACC president Mohsin Naqvi visited the ICC Academy nets on Saturday to offer encouragement to the players. The board has also implemented a new stress-management program for the team. This initiative includes motivational consultant Dr. Raheel Ahmed, who has been working with players individually and in small groups since the group stage, focusing on the psychological pressures associated with high-stakes matches against India. The team’s decision to cancel its pre-match media conference for a second consecutive match has raised questions regarding the team’s mood. After a seven-wicket loss to India, where Pakistan was all out for 128, a ‘no-handshake’ incident occurred, with Indian players refraining from shaking hands with their opponents. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav explained this was an act of solidarity for the families affected by the Pahalgam terror attack. This caused frustration within the PCB, which confronted referee Andy Pycroft about allegedly instructing captains to forgo the handshake. The board sought his removal and considered withdrawing from the tournament, though the ICC denied this twice. Pakistan narrowly avoided withdrawal, gaining clearance after a domestic resolution. The tensions escalated after a viral clip of Pycroft’s pre-match dialogue with the Pakistan camp. The PCB saw this as an apology, which the ICC refuted, stating the referee aimed to clear up the misunderstanding related to the India match. The governing body then sent a stern email to the PCB, citing multiple breaches of the PMOA protocol.
