Pakistan and India are set to face off today in the Super Four stage of the Men’s Asia Cup, reigniting their fierce rivalry with their match scheduled for 7:30 PM PKT at the Dubai International Stadium. Their previous Group A clash last Sunday ended on a tense note after India won but refused to shake hands with Pakistan’s players—a decision that also saw the Indian captain decline engagement at the toss.
The handshake incident stirred controversy, with the Pakistan Cricket Board lodging a complaint with the ICC seeking to remove match referee Andy Pycroft, who they claimed instructed Pakistan’s captain to avoid the customary handshake. That request was denied. Despite the dispute, Pycroft is still set to officiate today’s match.
India enters the Super Four after winning all three of their Group A matches—narrowly defeating Oman by 21 runs, then overcoming Pakistan, and finally beating the UAE by nine wickets. Pakistan, meanwhile, cancelled its pre‑match press conference for the second time in a row, following the lingering fallout from the earlier handshake controversy.
Amid the tensions, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav urged his team to ignore the noise surrounding the diplomatic flashpoints. “We will have to shut a lot of noise from outside and take what is good for you,” he said, emphasizing that prior results won’t count and the team must focus afresh as they meet Pakistan again in a high‑stakes match.
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