Pakistan team heads to stadium as UAE clash to go ahead after delay
After some last minute negotiations between all stakeholders, the uncertainty over the Group A match between Pakistan and the UAE has seemingly cleared up as the Pakistan team has left the hotel and set off for the Dubai International Stadium for the tie, which is set to begin at 9:30 pm Bangladesh time, an hour later that the original schedule, announced the Asia Cricket Council.
Earlier, ESPNCricinfo reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) asked its team to not leave the hotel for the fixture, which was originally set to begin at 8:30 pm Bangladesh time.
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The Pakistanis threatened to boycott the tie in protest of the ICC rejecting its request to remove Andy Pycroft as match referee from the rest of the tournament for his alleged involvement in the handshake refusal row in the India-Pakistan match.
PCB president Mohsin Naqvi, who also holds the top position in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), held last minute talks with multiple stakeholders to end the stalemate. "Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chair, is meeting and discussing with former chairs Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi. They are discussing the issue and are in touch with Dubai over the matter. The match has been delayed by an hour for now," Amir Mir, a PCB spokesperson, had said in a press conference.
Minutes after that announcement, Naqvi sent out a tweet, saying, "We have asked the Pakistan team to depart for the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Further details to follow"
Earlier on Monday, Naqvi had sent out a Tweet, stating that "The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup."
This request came after the Pakistan camp claimed that Pycroft requested their captain Salman Ali Agha to not shake hands with Suryakumar Yadav during the toss for the Group A match.
Suryakumar avoided shaking his Pakistani counterparts hands at the toss and he and his team refused to shake hands with Pakistan players after the match as well, later saying that it was done in alignment with the BCCI and the Indian government.
The winner of the match between Pakistan and the UAE will qualify as the second team from Group A for the Super Four behind India.
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