Sources indicate that the Pakistan cricket team is on its way to the Dubai International Stadium to play the scheduled Asia Cup 2025 clash against UAE, after hours of uncertainty.
Behind the scenes, the ICC and PCB have been engaged in backchannel negotiations, with reports suggesting that Pakistan would face a penalty of USD 16 million if they went ahead with a boycott of the match.
The ICC has reportedly refused PCB’s demand to change match referee Jeffrey Pycroft, despite Pakistan’s objections over his instructions during the India game. The stand-off has turned into a huge embarrassment for Pakistan, with their earlier threats to pull out now giving way to pressure to take the field.
The match, originally set to start at 6:30 PM local time, has been delayed by nearly an hour as both teams await final confirmation.
