Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi meets national team players in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 20, 2025. — Screengrab via X/@TheRealPCBMedia
On the eve of Pakistan’s high-stakes Asia Cup clash with India, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi met the squad for a morale-boosting session and held separate talks with head coach Mike Hesson during training at ICC Academy’s Oval Two in Dubai.
Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema stood nearby as Naqvi and Hesson spoke at length before the captain joined them.
The players maintained their drills with renewed energy, their spirits lifted by the chairman’s show of support ahead of Sunday’s contest.
Meanwhile, the Indian support staff and three Indian players, who had been training at Oval One, wrapped up their session and quietly left the ground soon after Naqvi arrived.
Earlier, Pakistani and Indian fans welcomed the Pakistan team upon their arrival at the ICC Academy. Indian supporters also took photos with Pakistani batter Fakhar Zaman.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of the “handshake controversy” that followed Pakistan’s earlier clash with India, which attracted considerable attention both on and off the field.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan cricket team cancelled its scheduled pre-match press conference. The decision was officially confirmed today (Saturday), although the team management gave no reason.
A Pakistani player or a member of the support staff was supposed to address the media at 6 pm local time, but it was called off.
India won the September 14 group match by seven wickets in Dubai and afterwards refused to shake hands with their opponents, angering Pakistan.
It was the first meeting between the neighbours since a four-day armed conflict in May left more than 70 people dead.
The Pakistan Cricket Board protested with the International Cricket Council (ICC), saying that match referee Andy Pycroft had told skipper Salman Agha not to approach Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake at the toss.
The PCB demanded that Pycroft be removed from their matches and threatened to withdraw from the eight-team T20I competition.
Their last group game was held up for an hour before the PCB said Pycroft had apologised, and the match, with the Zimbabwean in charge, eventually went ahead.
According to the PCB, Pycroft described the incident as a result of miscommunication. The ICC has indicated its willingness to conduct a formal inquiry into the alleged breach of the code of conduct.
Pakistan beat the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, to qualify for the next stage, the Super Fours, and set up another meeting with India in Dubai.
Indian media reported that the team plans to stick to its no-handshake policy for Sunday’s clash.