Pakistan to Withdraw from Asia Cup? Entire Timeline of PCB’s Appeal to ICC Explained

The 2025 Asia Cup was a smooth sailing tournament until the India vs. Pakistan clash that took place at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday (September 14). The cricket on the field turned out to be pretty sober with India beating Pakistan comfortably by 7 wickets.

However, the chain of events that started to take place just as the match got over has brought chaos not only in Group A, where both teams are present, but also the entire tournament. Let’s look at the entire timeline covering all the events that took place.

Indian players refuse handshake

The ‘No Handshake’ policy from team India started at the toss itself when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav intentionally avoided the customary toss handshake with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. However, it didn’t come to the notice of many fans as the main attraction was the cricket that was to be played.

However, after hitting the winning six, when both Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube stormed to the dressing room, avoiding the post-match handshakes, an uneasy tension stirred in the air. There were reports of the Pakistan team lining up outside the Indian dressing room but were met with closed doors by the Indian team.

Pakistan Captain protests and coach responds too

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha then protested to this no handshake policy by not turning up for the post-match presentation. Coach Mike Hesson also called the entire situation ‘Disappointing’ in his press conference after the match.

Suryakumar Yadav’s bold press conference

Suryakumar Yadav defended his team’s act by stating that the BCCI and Indian government were aligned when it came to these thoughts. He also stressed that the team was here to just okay cricket but not follow it up with any friendly gestures. These statements by the Indian captain further stirred debates.

Pakistan Cricket Board lodges complaint to ICC

The Pakistan Cricket Board in reply lodged official complaints against the Indian players, calling their act unsportsmanlike. Further they also accused match referee Andy Pycroft of being a part of the whole incident and acting on behalf of India and demanded his suspension.

They also threatened that if Pycroft is the match referee for their last group game against UAE, they may pull out of the competition. The PCB accused Pycroft of not insisting the Indian players to shake hands, instead taking their side by allowing the avoidance of the handshake.

A BCCI official responded to the complaint against the Indian players, saying that a handshake is part of the spirit of the game, but at no point does it come in the rules of the game. It is not a compulsion and is only done as a good gesture is what BCCI had to say.

ICC rejects PCB’s claim to suspend Andy Pycroft

The International Cricket Council rejected PCB’s demand for suspending Andy Pycroft. The ICC said that Pycroft had a very minimal role to play in the entire conflict. In fact, he was told to tell the captains about the no handshake situation by one of the ground staff representing the Asian Cricket Council. Andy Pycroft will remain the match referee for the remainder of the Asia Cup as a result of that.

Pakistan to take the field against UAE

Mohsin Naqvi, president of the PCB and the ACC, travelled to Islamabad urgently to take a call on the further participation of the Pakistan team in the tournament after ICC rejected their plea on Pycroft. The latest reports though suggest that the ICC has given Pycroft a rest from the Pakistan vs. UAE game and West Indian Richie Richardson will take over. The final call that came from Islamabad is that Pakistan will play and will not boycott the tournament.

Pakistan playing the UAE is a virtual knockout. Pakistan winning would take them through and set them up for another India clash on Sunday. However, if they lose, they would be out of the competition. The chaos of Group A has engulfed the Asia Cup, and it remains to be seen how the stakeholders come to a peaceful conclusion.

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