Pakistan and India captains are likely to skip the traditional pre-final trophy shoot ahead of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 final.
The high-stakes ultimate game of the continental tournament between the arch-rivals is set to be played on Sunday (tomorrow) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
While organisers confirmed on Saturday that no such event would be held, they said that a final decision on whether the captains would pose together with the trophy could only be taken on Sunday before the match.
Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha is scheduled to address a press conference at 7pm today, while the national team will conduct their final training session at the ICC Academy in Dubai from 7pm to 10pm.
The controversy surrounding player interactions began during the group stage clash when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav declined the customary handshake with the Pakistan captain at the toss.
The situation repeated at the end of the match when Yadav, after scoring the winning runs, walked off without shaking hands with the opposition.
Following that match, Indian players immediately returned to the dressing room, closing the doors while Pakistan’s players waited on the field for the traditional post-match courtesy.
This sparked a protest from Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram Cheema, who lodged a complaint against India’s conduct and also against match referee Andy Pycroft for mishandling the matter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later revealed that Pycroft apologised, calling the incident a “miscommunication”.
Tensions resurfaced on September 21 during the Super Fours clash, where both teams once again avoided handshakes before and after the game.
