Asia Cup: PCB Chief Avoids Question From Journalist After Pakistan Cancel Press Conference Khaleej Times

All eyes were fixed on Mohsin Naqvi when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman arrived at the ICC Academy ground in Dubai on Saturday to meet the players during their training session.

Naqvi, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), was mobbed by reporters when he walked towards the practice ground.

An Indian journalist asked Naqvi why the Pakistan team cancelled their press conference ahead of Sunday's big match against India.

Naqvi remained quiet, but when the journalist asked the question again, he smiled and said,“We will talk soon”.

On Saturday, former PCB chairman Najam Sethi revealed that Naqvi was seriously considering boycotting the tournament after their demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft was rejected by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The Pakistan board was miffed with Pycroft, who informed skipper Salman Agha just minutes before the toss that there would be no customary handshake with the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav during the India-Pakistan group stage match on September 14.

The Indian team also skipped the post-match handshake with Pakistan players after winning the match by seven wickets.

It was the first match between the two teams after the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours came to the brink of an all-out war in May.

Despite the raging controversy, the PCB decided against boycotting their next match against the UAE, which had a delayed start.

Pakistan went on to win the match by 41 runs to reach the Super Four.

But now, Agha's men face a big challenge against India, the reigning world T20 champions, in the Super Four on Sunday – exactly a week after the no-handshake stance from India threw the tournament into chaos.

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