India and Pakistan meet Sunday in a high-stakes Asia Cup Super 4s match in Dubai, a week after their group-stage game ended without the customary post-match handshake, stoking a diplomatic-tinged storm around cricket’s fiercest rivalry. The rematch arrives with pressure on both the scorecard and the sidelines.
Pakistan’s cricket board has filed complaints with the sport’s governing bodies over the incident, arguing the episode breached norms of conduct and spirit. The dispute has centered on match referee Andy Pycroft’s role during the first meeting; the International Cricket Council kept him on the Super 4s assignment despite Pakistan’s objections, according to multiple reports.
The build-up in Dubai reflected the acrimony. Pakistan canceled its scheduled pre-match news conference, a move that followed days of commentary from former players and officials on both sides. The cancellation fed the narrative that the off-field drama would travel into the tournament’s decisive phase.
Amid the noise, some officials and ex-umpires have tried to lower the temperature. Former ICC umpire Anil Chaudhary noted there is no rule that mandates post-match handshakes, suggesting the matter had been inflated beyond its importance.
Once play begins, India will lean on experience and a measured spin plan tailored to Dubai’s surfaces, with the batting order deep enough to absorb early movement or a slow start. Pakistan will want a settled power-play and a calm anchor from the top, with Fakhar Zaman’s tempo and shot selection likely to shape their innings if early wickets fall.
The stakes are plain: points in the Super 4s, momentum against a direct rival, and a place in the final within reach. But the intangibles are just as real. Every gesture will be read closely, from the toss through the last handshake—or lack of one—as cricket navigates politics, pride, and protocol on a global stage.
First ball is slated for 14:30 GMT in Dubai, with a packed house expected and global audiences tuning in for another charged chapter of a long, complicated rivalry.
What to watch
- Body language at the coin toss and after the final ball, given the week’s headlines.
- India’s middle-overs spin choke against Pakistan’s left-right combinations.
- Pakistan’s top-order temperament—especially Zaman—against India’s new-ball discipline.
Whatever happens, both camps insist performance will speak louder than posture. Sunday’s winner takes more than points. It takes control of the narrative heading toward the Asia Cup finish line.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
