Tag: india

DUBAI: Zimbabwean match referee Andy Pycroft will once again be on duty during the Pakistan-India encounter in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday.

Pycroft found himself at the heart of the handshake controversy during last week’s match between the neighbouring countries, who were engaged in cross-border tensions in May this year.

After the match, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demanded Pycroft’s “immediate removal” after he instructed captains Salman Ali Agha and Suryakumar Yadav to skip the customary handshake at the toss.

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The fallout carried into Pakistan’s next game against the UAE, with the team delaying its arrival at the venue by an hour amid tense backroom discussions with the ICC.

It was only after a late meeting, in which Pycroft explained his stance and issued a private apology to Pakistan’s management, that the side agreed to take the field.

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

Now, with the same official in charge, the high-voltage rematch comes under an added layer of intrigue.

Notably, both India and Pakistan will enter Sunday’s clash on the back of victories. India completed their group stage campaign unbeaten after defeating Oman, while Pakistan edged past the UAE in their final group match.

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk).

Pakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

READ: Pakistan seek redemption against India after handshake row

Pakistan and India are set to meet again on Sunday, September 21, in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025, exactly one week after their previous encounter and the infamous handshake controversy.

India had won convincingly at the same Dubai venue, but what followed has turned this into far more than a cricket match.

The September 14 fixture was the first meeting between Pakistan and India since cross-border tensions resurfaced in May, and the unease was evident even before a ball was bowled.

Both captains skipped the customary handshake at the toss, something the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) alleged was instructed by match referee Andy Pycroft. According to the PCB, this move violated the spirit of cricket and the MCC’s code of conduct.

India’s seven-wicket win was quickly overshadowed by what came next. After sealing victory, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube walked straight off as the rest of the Indian players celebrated in their dugout, refusing to acknowledge Pakistan.

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

Salman Ali Agha’s men stood waiting in line for the traditional handshake, only to be left stranded. Head coach Mike Hesson later admitted the team felt insulted, and in protest, Pakistan’s captain skipped the post-match presentation.

Suryakumar, meanwhile, dedicated the win to victims of the Pahalgam attack and the Indian armed forces, a pointed reminder of the political backdrop.

The PCB responded with a formal complaint to both the ICC and MCC, demanding Pycroft’s removal from the Asia Cup. They even suspended their own Director of International Cricket, Usman Wahla, for delaying the official protest.

Behind the scenes, Pakistan threatened to boycott the tournament altogether. The standoff eventually eased after Pycroft privately apologised before Pakistan’s match against the UAE, but the damage was already done.

And so, tomorrow’s clash carries all that baggage. We know there will be no handshakes, no pretence of sportsmanship. This is shaping up to be a war on the field.

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For Pakistan’s players, the sting of insult is real, and they will want to respond. But here’s the truth: the only meaningful reply won’t come in press conferences or protests; it has to come through victory.

That is where the real concern lies. Amid all the drama, Pakistan’s on-field performance has been overlooked. Their performance against India was toothless, and even against minnows UAE, they barely scraped through.

Unless they lift their game dramatically, passion and politics will count for little.

So what can we expect on Sunday? High tensions, maybe a few flashpoints reminiscent of Afridi versus Gambhir, and certainly no handshakes.

But for Pakistan, the only response that truly matters, the only way to change the story, is to defeat India. Because in the end, nothing stings the opposition more than defeat.

Squads

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk).

Pakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

READ: Suryakumar Yadav snubs Pakistan again

ABU DHABI: India all-rounder Axar Patel has emerged as a fitness concern ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster Super Four clash against Pakistan in the ongoing ACC Asia Cup 2025.

Patel sustained a head injury on Friday during India’s final group match against Oman. The incident occurred in the 15th over of Oman’s chase when Axar sprinted in from mid-off to attempt a catch off Hammad Mirza.

He juggled the ball, lost balance, and landed head-first on the turf. The 31-year-old immediately clutched his head and neck before being helped off the field by the physio. He did not return for the remainder of the innings.

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

Axar had bowled just one over for four runs before the injury, but earlier contributed with the bat, striking 26 off 13 balls in a crucial 45-run stand with Sanju Samson (56) that lifted India to 188/8.

India eventually defended the total, securing a 21-run victory.

While fielding coach T. Dilip later said Axar was “fine,” the short turnaround before the Pakistan clash in Dubai leaves question marks over his availability.

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His absence could upset India’s preferred three-spinner balance, with Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav the other frontline options. Washington Sundar and Riyan Parag are on standby as potential replacements.

India squad for Asia Cup 2025

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

READ: Suryakumar Yadav snubs Pakistan again

ABU DHABI: India skipper Suryakumar Yadav shared his thoughts after his side’s victory over Oman, praising the opposition for displaying a commendable performance.

India kept their unbeaten run with a 21-run win over Oman in the last group stage fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Oman fell short and could only score 167-4  in their 20 overs while chasing a target of 189 runs.

Aamir Kaleem emerged as the top scorer, making a solid 64 runs off 46 balls, featuring seven boundaries and two sixes, while Hammad Mirza provided support with 51 runs from 33 deliveries, which included five fours and two sixes.

Jiten Ramanandi also contributed with a brisk 12 runs off just five balls.

For India, the wickets were shared fairly, with Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav each claiming one wicket.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Surya hailed Oman for their above-par performance while stressing his batting position.

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“Definitely, I’ll try from the next game,” he said in a light-hearted manner on batting higher than the No.11 position.

“Overall, I feel Oman played an unbelievable brand of cricket. It was amazing—I really enjoyed watching them bat,” he said.

He backed Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, who played their first game in challenging conditions. Suryakumar Yadav also talked about Harik Pandya, who was excellent in the field and bowling after missing out in batting.

“It’s a little difficult when you’re sitting and suddenly you come out and play,” he said on Arshdeep and Harshit performances.

“It’s so humid here. Unfortunate how he got out, but you can’t keep him away from the game (on Hardik Pandya)—the way he bowled and the way he got out,” Yadav added.

READ: Dunith Wellalage set to rejoin Sri Lanka squad after father’s death

ABU DHABI: India survived a scare to beat Oman by 21 runs in the final group stage fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Set 188, spirited Oman fell short and managed to score 167-4 in their 20 overs.

In pursuit of the target, the openers provided a solid start with 56 on the board. Jatinder Singh departed after scoring 32 from 33 balls with the aid of five fours.

However, Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza paired up for a massive 93-run partnership, which kept Indian bowlers at bay in the middle overs.

The duo batted cautiously and took their team to the 150-run mark. The stand eventually culminated with Aamir Kaleem’s wicket, who was caught brilliantly by Hardik Pandya on the boundary line. He top-scored with 64 from 46 balls, striking seven fours and two sixes.

Mirza followed him shortly after, for a well-made 51 from 33 balls. The right-hander struck seven fours and two sixes in his gutsy knock.

With these wickets, Oman’s hopes for a memorable win were dashed as the asking rate was too much for the upcoming batters.

For India, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya picked up one wicket each.

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Earlier, Sanju Samson’s half-century and Abhishek Sharma’s onslaught powered India to a formidable total against

India capitalized on the decision to bat first and amassed 188-8 in their 20 overs despite losing Shubman Gill for five.

After an early wicket, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson quickly steadied the innings,  adding a brisk 65 off 35 balls, which brought the total to 72 in 7.1 overs.

Sharma remained the core aggressor and made 38 from just 15 balls. His powerful knock featured two sixes and five fours.

However, Oman roared back with back-to-back wickets and put India in a precarious position at 73-3 in 7.3 overs. Meanwhile, Samson continued and played an anchoring knock off 56 from 45 balls.

Later on, cameos from Axar Patel (26 from 13) and Tilak Varma (29 from 18) helped the Men in Blue to finish strong.

For Oman, Shah Faisal remained the pick of the bowlers and picked up two wickets. Aamir Kaleem and Jiten Ramanandi supported him well with two scalps apiece.

READ: Australia skipper Pat Cummins ‘hopeful’ of playing in Ashes

ABU DHABI: India have won the toss and decided to bat first against Oman in the 12th and final group stage fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Playing XIs

Oman XI: Jatinder Singh (capt), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, Aryan Bisht, Zikria Islam, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava, Jiten Ramanandi

India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Both teams have never squared off against each other, and this will be the first time that India and Oman will meet in international cricket.

READ: Alex Carey replaces Josh Inglis in Australia squad for New Zealand T20Is

DUBAI: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha vowed to improve middle-overs batting, stating that his side is ready for the India clash in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 Super fours.

Set 147-run target, UAE crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for 105 in 17.4 overs.

Despite restricting Pakistan to a low total, UAE batters failed to take advantage.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf bagged two wickets each.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Salman emphasized the middle overs, highlighting them as a concern.

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“We got the job done, but we still need to improve our batting in the middle order. That’s been a concern and something we need to work on,” he said.

The 31-year-old praised Shaheen Afridi, who played a crucial role with an all-around performance.

“Apart from that, we did a good job. We haven’t batted at our best yet…we’re still just finding our way to 150. If we bat well in the middle overs, we can push it to 170 no matter the opposition. Shaheen’s batting has improved a lot–he’s already great with the ball,” he remarked.

Regarding the India clash, the skipper mentioned Pakistan’s performance in the past few months, stressing on

“Saim is someone who has been bringing us back into games and I hope he can continue like this till the end. We’re ready for any challenge and if we keep playing the way we have over the last four months, we’ll be good against any side,” Salman Ali Agha concluded.

READ: ‘Pakistan’s honour preserved’, says Mohsin Naqvi following Pycroft’s apology

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has released the official schedule for the upcoming season of the Pro League, with arch-rivals Pakistan and India clashing in June next year.

The Pakistan hockey team secured their place in the Pro League after New Zealand, winners of the 2024–25 Nations Cup, declined their spot.

As runners-up, Pakistan were extended an invitation by FIH, which they accepted following financial backing from the government.

“FIH can confirm that the Pakistan men’s hockey team, nicknamed the Green Shirts, have accepted the invitation to participate in the upcoming season of the FIH Hockey Pro League,” the federation said in a statement.

The seventh edition of the competition will feature nine teams: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Spain, and Pakistan, with Ireland relegated after finishing bottom last season.

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The highlight of the season will undoubtedly be the clash between Pakistan and arch-rivals India, set to take place in London on June 23 and 26, 2026.

Pakistan will begin their campaign in Rosario, Argentina, where they face the Netherlands on December 10, followed by hosts Argentina on December 12. The Green Shirts will play 16 matches in total across four international legs.

Their second assignment takes them to Hobart, Australia, in February, where they go head-to-head with the hosts and Germany.

In June, Pakistan will feature in the European leg of the tournament with fixtures against Belgium and Spain in Wavre, before moving to London for the final round against England and India.

Pakistan’s FIH Pro League Schedule

December 2025 – Rosario, Argentina

Dec 10: Netherlands vs Pakistan (03:00)

Dec 12: Argentina vs Pakistan (03:00)

Dec 13: Pakistan vs Netherlands (03:00)

Dec 15: Argentina vs Pakistan (03:00)

February 2026 – Hobart, Australia

Feb 10: Australia vs Pakistan (11:00)

Feb 11: Pakistan vs Germany (13:30)

Feb 13: Australia vs Pakistan (11:00)

Feb 14: Germany vs Pakistan (10:00)

June 2026 – Wavre, Belgium

Jun 13: Belgium vs Pakistan (18:30)

Jun 14: Pakistan vs Spain (18:30)

Jun 19: Belgium vs Pakistan (00:00)

Jun 20: Spain vs Pakistan (18:30)

June 2026 – London, UK

Jun 23: Pakistan vs India (18:30)

Jun 24: England vs Pakistan (17:30)

Jun 26: India vs Pakistan (22:00)

Jun 27: England vs Pakistan (20:00)

READ: Suryakumar Yadav will not collect Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

DUBAI: The team management of India has instructed its players to maintain distance from Pakistani net bowlers during practice sessions at the ICC Academy, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

The directive follows the fallout from the handshake controversy during the Pakistan-India clash at the Asia Cup 2025.

The fixture, played under a tense backdrop, witnessed unusual scenes from the start, with both captains skipping the customary handshake at the toss.

Later, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who struck the winning runs, celebrated with teammate Shivam Dube before both walked straight to the dressing room.

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While Indian players congratulated each other at the dugout, they refrained from acknowledging or shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts.

Pakistan’s players, meanwhile, lined up and waited for the customary handshake, only to see the Indian team retreat to their dressing room and close the doors.

However, earlier, during the trophy unveiling ceremony, Yadav was seen shaking hands with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

Following these controversies, the Indian camp has banned its players from interacting with net bowlers from Pakistan.

Notably, at the ICC Academy, net bowlers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India are routinely brought in to support teams during training.

This time, however, the Indian camp has barred such interactions. Sources revealed that players have been explicitly told to avoid casual conversations or photographs with Pakistani net bowlers.

To enforce the rule, the net bowlers are also required to surrender their mobile phones before practice, with devices returned only after sessions conclude.

READ: PCB rejects ICC inquiry, insists on Andy Pycroft’s removal: sources

JAPAN: Pakistan’s Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem and India’s javelin ace Neeraj Chopra will battle for gold in a potential final clash at the World Athletics Championship after the qualifying groups were announced on Tuesday.

Although both athletes have been placed in separate groups, there is an ample chance of a final showdown if they advance to the final.

This will be the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics that Arshad and Neeraj are expected to compete against each other.

Arshad Nadeem is placed in Group B alongside Grenada’s Anderson Peters, whereas defending champions Neeraj Chopra are in Group A alongside Germany’s Julian Weber.

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The Qualifying round will commence at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Wednesday, September 17, with the final taking place on Thursday, September 18.

Arshad Nadeem’s qualifying round is scheduled to begin at 4:45 PM Pakistan Standard Time.

Javelin Throw Schedule 

September 17, Wednesday Men’s javelin throw Qualification – Group A 3:10 PM

September 17, Wednesday Men’s javelin throw Qualification – Group B 4:45 PM

September 18, Thursday Men’s javelin throw  Final  3:13 PM

World Athletics Championships 2025 Men’s Javelin Throw Start List

Qualifiers Group A: Julian Weber (GER), Neeraj Chopra (IND), Keshorn Walcott (TTO), Jakub Vadlejch (CZE), Cyprian Mrzygłód (POL), Lassi Etelätalo (FIN), Edis Matusevičius (LTU), Yuta Sakiyama (JPN), Sachin Yadav (IND), Marc Anthony Minichello (USA), Roderick Genki Dean (JPN), Dawid Wegner (POL), Leandro Ramos (POR), Sumedha Ranasinghe (SRI), Haoran Hu (CHN), Sindri Hrafn Guðmundsson (ISL), Billy Julio López (COL), Keyshawn Strachan (BAH), Pedro Henrique Rodrigues (BRA)

Qualifiers Group B: Arshad Nadeem (PAK), Anderson Peters (GRN), Julius Yego (KEN), Luiz Mauricio da Silva (BRA), Oliver Helander (FIN), Curtis Thompson (USA), Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (SRI), Douw Smit (RSA), Artur Felfner (UKR), Simon Wieland (SUI), Marcin Krukowski (POL), Cameron McEntyre (AUS), Eemil Porvari (FIN), Yash Vir Singh (IND), Martin Konečný (CZE), Gen Naganuma (JPN), Rohit Yadav (IND), Lars Anthony Flaming (PAR)

READ: PCB denies reports of ICC rejecting Andy Pycroft removal request