Pakistan National Cricket Team To Boycott Asia Cup 2025? PCB in Discussion Over Handshake Row!

The participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 remains uncertain after the controversial handshake row that followed their defeat against India on Sunday. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to clarify whether the team will play in their crucial group stage encounter against the United Arab Emirates, which is less than eight hours away.

Why Pakistan Could Boycott the Asia Cup 2025 Midway?

The dispute erupted after Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts at the end of the match. According to the Indian squad, the gesture was made in remembrance of the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam te*ror at*ack on April 22.

However, Pakistan took exception to this and complained to the International Cricket Council (ICC). The PCB accused match referee Andy Pycroft of handling the situation improperly and demanded his removal. The ICC rejected Pakistan’s request, which led the PCB to consider boycotting the rest of the tournament.

For most of Tuesday, the PCB maintained silence on the issue. Their scheduled pre-match press conference was cancelled, though the players did attend a practice session at the ICC Academy in Dubai. Interestingly, the Pakistan practice session overlapped with India’s, although the teams did not come face-to-face.

Reports suggest that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi held meetings with government officials in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss the matter before returning to Lahore for final consultations.

Late at night, PCB spokesperson Aamir Mir said that no decision had been taken yet and that discussions were still underway. He stressed that any decision would be made keeping in mind the best interests of Pakistan cricket.

ICC Agrees to replace the Match Referee

PTI reports, at present, suggest that a potential agreement has been negotiated. The update states that Richie Richardson will take Andy Pycroft's place as match referee for the Pakistan vs UAE match. For the rest of the Asia Cup, Pycroft will also not officiate Pakistan's games.

Pakistan might eventually consent to play the UAE match, according to this development. However, the ambiguity persists until the PCB makes an official announcement. Pakistan will be automatically eliminated from the tournament if they choose to boycott the match.