Asia Cup 2025: PCB plans political revenge during India vs Pakistan rematch

India and Pakistan are set to face off again in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The build-up to the clash has been overshadowed by the fallout from last week’s match, where Indian players refrained from shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts, a gesture that sparked widespread debate and controversy.

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav later clarified that the decision was taken in solidarity with the families of the 26 victims of the Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack in April. The incident escalated when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demanded to withdraw from the tournament after the ICC refused to remove match referee Andy Pycroft, who was alleged to have played a role in the handshake row.

According to a report by RevSportz, speculations are growing that Pakistan may use the upcoming clash to deliver a political message if they manage to avenge their seven-wicket defeat in the group stage. The rumours intensified after PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi visited the players during their training session on September 20 at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Naqvi was seen in a long, animated discussion with head coach Mike Hesson, and later spoke privately with skipper Salman Ali Agha. Witnesses claimed that some players were shouting ‘6-0’, a propaganda reference linked to the false claim that six Indian Air Force aircraft were shot down by the Pakistani forces during the Operation Sindoor in May.

The controversy deepened after it was revealed that Naqvi also met ICC officials, following the apex body’s strongly worded letter to the PCB on September 18. The letter highlighted multiple violations of the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol before Pakistan’s group-stage match against the UAE.

The ICC particularly objected to the PCB recording their private conversation with Pycroft inside the match referee’s room. While the PCB claimed Pycroft apologized, the ICC clarified that the meeting was only meant to resolve the misunderstanding about the handshake issue. Adding to the tensions, the Men in Green cancelled their pre-match press conference for a second time, first before the UAE clash and now ahead of the India rematch.

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