NEW DELHI: After a whirlwind of controversy surrounding the infamous handshake drama and strong statements from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) threatening withdrawal, the Indian cricket team is setting aside the off-field theatrics. Their attention is now squarely back on the game, with a crucial training session scheduled for Tuesday evening at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
Despite the recent off-field distractions, India’s performance on the pitch remains unwavering. They have successfully become the first team to secure a spot in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2025. This advancement was confirmed following a decisive victory by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over Oman, marking UAE’s inaugural win in the tournament.
The UAE’s impressive win saw their openers notch up fluent half-centuries, helping them post a formidable total of 172/5. Their bowling attack then dismantled Oman’s top order, snatching four wickets within the PowerPlay and effectively ending Oman’s chase. Spearheaded by paceman Junaid Siddique, Oman struggled to build any momentum and were ultimately eliminated from the competition.
This outcome firmly cemented India’s position in the Super 4s, even before their final group-stage encounter. With victories already under their belt against both the UAE and long-standing rivals Pakistan, India proudly holds the top spot in Group A, boasting a superior net run rate.
Given Oman’s elimination and India’s guaranteed progression, their upcoming match against Oman is now largely ceremonial. However, tension builds for the other teams. The UAE is set to clash with Pakistan in a high-stakes ‘virtual knockout’ match, where the victor will advance to the Super 4 stage alongside India, and the defeated team will exit the tournament.
Still recovering from their crushing seven-wicket defeat to India, Pakistan now faces a make-or-break situation: they must defeat the UAE to keep their Super 4 hopes alive. Adding to the drama is an ongoing dispute between the PCB and the International Cricket Council (ICC). The PCB alleges that match referee Andy Pycroft violated Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) ‘Spirit of Cricket’ protocols during the recent handshake controversy and has threatened to pull out of the tournament if he is not replaced.
Should the ICC dismiss the PCB’s demand, and Pakistan proceeds with their threatened boycott of Wednesday’s match against the UAE, they will be automatically eliminated from the league stage, effectively granting the UAE a walkover directly into the Super 4s.