The Pakistan men’s cricket team has once again cancelled its pre-match press conference ahead of the highly anticipated Super-Four clash against India in the 2025 Asia Cup. As per the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) schedule, a Pakistan player or staff member was expected to face the media at 6:00 pm local time (7:30 pm IST) on Saturday, followed by a three-hour training session at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

While the training session will go ahead as planned, ESPNcricinfo reported that no press interaction will take place. Typically, teams conduct training and press conferences simultaneously, with one squad member speaking to the media while the rest begin practice. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not provided an apparent reason for skipping the presser, leaving fans and journalists speculating.

This marks the second time Pakistan has opted out of a pre-match press conference during the tournament. Earlier, they boycotted the media interaction before their group-stage match against the UAE, a move that was linked to the controversy surrounding match referee Andy Pycroft.

WATCH – Suryakumar Yadav Stresses Focus Over Rivalry As India Prepare For Pakistan Clash Amid ‘Noise’

The incident dates back to Pakistan’s opening clash against India, where Pycroft reportedly told both captains — Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha — that there would be no customary handshakes after the toss. When India refused handshakes post-match as well, tensions flared. In response, Agha skipped the presentation ceremony, while the PCB accused Pycroft of failing to enforce the ICC Code of Conduct.

Asia Cup: Drama continues as Pakistan cancels pre-match press conference before India clash

Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/CkpCDTZOpA#indiavspakistan #AsiaCup #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/EQEQPXVzJa

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 20, 2025

The fallout continued, with the UAE game delayed by an hour after Pakistan protested and arrived late at the stadium. Although Pycroft later expressed regret in a meeting with the PCB, matters escalated when the board released footage of the discussion without audio, which frustrated ICC officials and prompted strong internal communications.

ALSO READ: Oman Captain Jatinder Singh Seeks India’s Support to Bridge Cricketing Gap

Despite the off-field drama, Sunday’s blockbuster India-Pakistan encounter remains on schedule, with Andy Pycroft still listed as the match referee. Interestingly, India will also not hold a press conference before the game. However, their reason is more practical — the team played Oman on Friday and opted against back-to-back media duties.