Pakistan duck tough questions, cancel pre-match presser as Asia Cup boycott still uncertain after ICC’s Pycroft stand

One of the members of the Pakistan team was set to face the media ahead of their training session at the ICC Cricket Academy in Dubai. However, the press meet was cancelled. According to a report in the PTI, team sources revealed that it was done to "avoid" questions on the widely reported threat of a pullout. Apparently, none of the players wants to face the media with PCB still unclear on whether they would withdraw from the tournament.

PCB threatened to withdraw from the Asia Cup on Monday if their demand to remove Pycroft was not met. They had written a scathing letter to the ICC, alleging that the Zimbabwean had asked the two captains—India's Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan's Salam Ali Agha—not to shake hands at the toss for the Asia Cup clash on Sunday.

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"Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won't be removed and their plea has been rejected," an ICC source told PTI.

As it turns out, the 69-year-old is set to officiate Pakistan's final group stage game against the UAE on Wednesday. However, the report added that PCB is still looking for a respectable solution by which Pycroft doesn't officiate in their matches. The only other alternative is to have Richie Richardson stand in its match against the UAE on Wednesday.

Why Pakistan are unlikely to pull out of the Asia Cup?

Pakistan's decision to withdraw from the tournament may not be easy to make, given that if they act on it, the PCB will be facing an INR 141 crore loss from ACC's share of revenue.

"Can Naqvi risk Pakistan losing around USD 16 million out of a projected budget of USD 227 million for the fiscal year? That will be roughly seven per cent of the annual PCB revenue gone," a source close to developments in PCB told PTI.

Moreover, the decision to withdraw might leave the official broadcasters fuming at Mohsin Naqvi, who is not just the ACC head but also the PCB chief, as it would potentially rob them of two more India-Pakistan clashes. The rivalry is a massive revenue generator, and with Pakistan absent, it could result in a huge loss for the broadcasters.

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