Pakistan’s cricket team withdrew from the Asia Cup T20 2025 midway, with controversies surrounding the Indian team’s refusal to shake hands and the match referee dispute being cited as the reasons.
SNPNEWS.IN Cricket Update, Sep 25: In the Asia Cup T20 2025 being held in Dubai, the Pakistan team refused to play their remaining matches. When the Pakistani team declined to play their final group stage match against the UAE, they failed to qualify for the Super 4 and were eliminated from the tournament.
During the India vs. Pakistan match, a controversy arose over the dismissal of Pakistani batsman Babar Azam. The umpire gave Babar out LBW, which the Pakistani team challenged through DRS (Decision Review System). The third umpire upheld the on-field decision, but the Pakistani team claimed there was an error in the ball-tracking technology and that the replays showed “unclear” evidence. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accused match referee Andy Pycroft of bias, alleging interference in the DRS process.
For several days, Pakistan had been demanding Pycroft’s removal, but the ICC refused to comply. Pakistan threatened the ICC that if Pycroft was not removed by September 17, they would not play their final league match against the UAE. The team decided to stay at their hotel, and even an hour after the scheduled start time (6:00 PM UAE time), they did not arrive at the venue. As a result, the umpires awarded a walkover victory to the UAE.
The controversy over the Indian captain and team refusing to shake hands after the India-Pakistan match has also been cited as a reason for Pakistan’s decision. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), faced pressure from former Pakistani players and the media due to the lack of action by the ICC and the Indian team regarding the handshake issue. This pressure contributed to Pakistan’s decision to withdraw from the Asia Cup.
Following Pakistan’s decision, the ICC has begun preparations to impose a fine of 12-16 million USD (approximately 100-130 crore INR) on the PCB, as this action directly violates ICC regulations.