The Pakistani squad cancelled their pre-match news conference ahead of their Super 4 match against India in Dubai on Sunday (September 21). Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar slammed Pakistan’s approach as disrespectful and potentially detrimental.
Pakistan’s troubles began following their Group A defeat to India, when Indian players refused to shake hands as is customary. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) promptly filed a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), demanding the expulsion of match referee Andy Pycroft. The ICC denied their plea twice, siding with the veteran official.
Following this, Pakistan threatened to withdraw from the tournament before later alleging that Pycroft had apologised to them, which was denied by the ICC. The dispute contributed to further unrest, including a delayed start to their clash against the United Arab Emirates. In the build-up to the much-anticipated India clash, Pakistan opted out of holding their mandatory press conference for the second consecutive time. They had previously done the same ahead of their UAE fixture. Gavaskar expressed disappointment at Pakistan’s decision.
“I don’t know what the thinking behind that is, but as far as I know, press conferences are mandatory. If teams don’t hold them, I’m not sure what the penalties are—if any—but in today’s world, it’s important for the media to be involved and kept informed. It’s still essential to maintain open communication with the media. Instead of relying on ‘sources’ or speculation, it’s always better for teams to convey their point of view directly. Perhaps Pakistan feel they have nothing to share, which, frankly, isn’t surprising,” Gavaskar told as quoted by India Today.
He further mentioned that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) could consider imposing sanctions on Pakistan if such behaviour continues.
“Yes, Mohsin Naqvi is the head of the ACC, but there is an organisation under him that includes India, Sri Lanka, and other participating and non-participating member nations — that collectively forms the Asian Cricket Council. As far as I know, there’s a governing committee within the ACC for tournaments like this, and they’ll likely want to understand what’s going on. If there is something in the rulebook stating that attending press conferences is mandatory, then perhaps going forward, if a team fails to comply, a point could be deducted from their table. That might be a viable way forward,” he added.
Meanwhile, the ICC has once again shown its support for Andy Pycroft, who will continue as match referee for the India-Pakistan Super 4 clash. Notably, Pycroft has been assigned to oversee all matches in Dubai, while Richie Richardson will officiate games in Abu Dhabi. The governing body clarified that once an official is cleared after an inquiry, their integrity should not be questioned.
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