Will Pakistan Pay A Penalty For The Asia Cup After The Boycott? Check Updated Asia Cup 2025 Points Table Here

The match is also being said to be on after reports surfaced that Pakistan had decided to withdraw from their last group stage game against the UAE. But the PCB has asked to have the match rescheduled to an hour later, awaiting further discussions.

According to recent updates, the game has players riding in the team bus out of the hotel and heading to the Dubai International Stadium, where the match will be held.

This is because the latest blowback of the no-handshake policy against India has occurred, and, as a result,the  Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had requested the expulsion of match referee Andy Pycroft from the tournament.

The global sports body, the ICC, had also been asked by the board to grant the same, but was refused. On Wednesday morning, a report in PTI said that the match referee for the match between Pakistan and UAE has been appointed to Richie Richardson.

The PCB, following the defeat to India by seven wickets, which followed the clash between the two teams, claimed that Pycroft acted in a manner that was against the spirit of the game. At the match, Suryakumar Yadav and his colleagues did not shake hands with Pakistan players as it is traditionally done.

The captain of the Indian T20I team later explained that this was done in support of the Indian Armed Forces, which fired back in Operation Sindoor, and in respect to the victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

What does the updated points table say? 

In the meantime, a report by Geo News of Pakistan had earlier reported that the Men In Green had resolved to forfeit the must-win match against the UAE, which would have resulted in the latter qualifying for the Super Four of the Asia Cup 2025.

The inputs above also mentioned that the management had halted the team based on the movement to the venue outside the hotel. In the first place, some players had already boarded the bus but were advised to go back to their rooms.

In the meantime, it was also announced that the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Mohsin Naqvi, will also hold a press conference in Lahore later in the evening.

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