Pakistan cricket team has pulled out of the Asia Cup 2025 after the handshake controversy during their group-stage clash against India. The team, led by Salman Agha, was scheduled to play a must-win match against the United Arab Emirates tonight.
However, the match will not take place after the sudden withdrawal. Reports stated that Pakistan’s exit from the tournament is now official, ending their chances of progressing further. The situation has created shockwaves in cricketing circles, as Pakistan’s decision has marked one of the most unexpected exits from an international tournament in recent history.
#WATCH | Asia Cup 2025 | Ahead of the Pakistan Vs UAE match in Dubai, a Pakistani supporter says, “Pakistan team is still at the hotel. They have not reached here (stadium). PCB has announced that they won’t play today’s match over the issue of the change of umpire. Pakistanis… pic.twitter.com/0A29qpyxoF
— ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2025
Players Directed to Stay in Hotel Rooms
According to reports from Pakistani news channel Samaa TV, the players of Pakistan’s cricket team have been instructed to remain in their hotel rooms.
#BREAKING: Pakistan to boycott the match against UAE during the Asia Cup in Dubai. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to hold emergency press conference shortly.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 17, 2025
Security and team management have restricted movement as uncertainty looms over their participation. Kits of the players had already been loaded onto the team bus, but the squad was asked not to board. The decision confirmed Pakistan’s withdrawal from the tournament.
Fans expressed disappointment, as the game against the UAE was considered crucial for Pakistan’s survival in the Asia Cup 2025. The move also raised questions about the team’s internal morale and management.
ICC Rejects PCB Request Over Match Referee
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faced another setback when the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected its second request to remove Andy Pycroft as the match referee for the Asia Cup 2025. PCB had earlier raised objections following the “no-handshake controversy” with India, claiming bias and unfair conduct.
Their first mail to ICC had already been rejected, and now the second attempt has met the same response. The refusal from ICC further frustrated the PCB, adding pressure to Pakistan’s ongoing struggles in the tournament. This rejection reportedly played a major role in their decision to withdraw from the competition altogether.
In a dramatic turn of events, Pakistan’s players were stopped from leaving for the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where the UAE match was scheduled. Although their playing kits were already loaded onto the bus, the team members did not board.
This confirmed that the Pakistan cricket team had officially decided to end their campaign in the Asia Cup 2025. The move shocked cricket fans and experts, as the match against UAE was expected to decide Pakistan’s fate in the tournament. The absence of Pakistan has now changed the group’s dynamics, leaving a major gap in the competition schedule.
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Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
