Ind vs Pak Asia Cup Match 2025: The India-Pakistan cricket conflict is never short of intensity, yet before the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 battle, the tensions have gone way beyond the pitch. According to a report in the press journal, Pakistani players have turned to childish behavior after a sequence of on-field and off-field scandals.
Pakistan Skips Pre-Match Press Conference
Pakistan chose to miss the pre-match press conference ahead of the Sunday clash at the Dubai International Stadium. This is one of several decisions made as part of their ongoing protest against the handshake controversy at the group stage. The lack of Pakistani representatives is just one more flammable component of the already tense environment of this high-stakes meeting.
Mind Games in Full Swing
Indian journalists who are reporting on the tournament in the UAE took to social media to accuse Pakistani players of using dirty tricks during a training session. It was reported that the players were chanting 6-0, 6-0, which was an allusion to the overblown assertions by Pakistan that it had shot down six Indian fighter jets in the four-day skirmish that had followed Operation Sindoor. In truth, the Indian Air Force has downed at least five Pakistani jets and a big spy plane. Despite its harmless intent, this chanting is viewed as an attempt to provoke Team India before the Super 4 match.
Handshake Controversy Continues
The play commenced following India’s overwhelming victory in the group stage against Pakistan. After this match, Indian players also refused to shake hands with their Pakistani opponents as a form of protest over the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred back in April. A formal complaint was filed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to the ICC, and it requested the board to remove the match referee Andy Pycroft, claiming that he favoured India. But ICC turned down the request twice, and in a controversial move, Pycroft has been appointed as a match referee again in this India-Pakistan Super 4 match.
What to Expect on Match Day?
Nevertheless, even with the off-field drama, both teams will likely play in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium. Suryakumar Yadav and Team India are now under intense scrutiny by fans and experts who might still hold on to their position regarding the No Handshake issue. The game will be a stressful one, not only in terms of cricketing skills but also in terms of the psychological warfare between the two teams.
