IND vs PAK Super 4, Asia Cup 2025: Dubai witnessed yet another tense moment in India-Pakistan rivalry during the Super 4 match of 2025 Asia Cup.
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav once again opted not to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart, Salman Ali Agha, continuing the pattern set during their earlier league-stage encounter.
While the customary handshake is seen as a gesture of sportsmanship, Suryakumar’s decision appeared to reflect India’s firm stance following the ongoing tensions between the two sides.
The choice also puts the spotlight again on match referee Andy Pycroft, who has been at the center of controversy for enforcing the protocol during previous matches.
Controversy flared after the two captains refused to shake hands when India and Pakistan faced off on September 14.
In apparent protest, Pakistan canceled their pre-match press conference ahead of the Super 4 game, reportedly to avoid questions on the handshake incident and the Andy Pycroft controversy. Despite this, the team trained at the ICC Academy in Dubai as scheduled.
On Saturday, the ICC confirmed that Pycroft would continue as match referee for the IND vs PAK clash, rejecting PCB’s demands for his removal. Earlier, Pakistan had threatened to withdraw from the UAE match if Pycroft was not replaced, though an apology was later issued amid heated exchanges.
The issue escalated after ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta sent a notice regarding the recording of Pycroft’s meeting by Pakistan’s team manager, citing PMOA protocol violations. PCB, however, argued that the media manager is part of the squad and that recording is permitted under ICC rules.
