The cricket teams of India and Pakistan will face each other once again in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup and the media channels and presenters are leaving no chance of creating the hype for this clash but the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that his team is concentrating on the game and not on the opponent.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav chose not to take Pakistan’s name when asked about their upcoming clash, choosing instead to talk only about the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. This came after India’s final group-stage win against Oman, with the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match scheduled for Sunday, September 21, in Dubai.
During the post-match presentation, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar tried to draw Suryakumar Yadav into commenting on facing Pakistan again by asking whether his team is ready to face Pakistan one more time. However, the skipper brushed it off and said that his team is “All set for Super-4”.
The rivalry between the two teams had already made headlines earlier in the tournament when Suryakumar Yadav declined to shake hands with the Pakistani players after their group-stage match. That incident escalated into a major controversy, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filing complaints with the ICC. The PCB even sent multiple emails demanding that match referee Andy Pycroft be removed, arguing that he had failed to maintain the spirit of the game.
The situation grew tense, especially since the match came just after the Pahalgam te*or att@ck and Operation Sindoor. At one point, Pakistan even threatened to pull out of the Asia Cup unless Andy Pycroft was replaced. The standoff forced the ICC into a series of discussions but officials stood firm.
Ahead of their crucial game against the UAE, Pakistan refused to leave their hotel in Dubai because Andy Pycroft was officiating. The protest delayed the match, which eventually began at 9 pm IST instead of the scheduled 8 pm. The ICC, however, made it clear to the PCB chairman and ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi that Andy Pycroft would continue. CEO Sanjog Gupta personally conveyed this decision during a conference call, stressing that the Zimbabwean official had followed the rules exactly.
With tensions high off the field and excitement building on it, Sunday’s clash between India and Pakistan promises to be another dramatic chapter in their storied rivalry.
