The future of Pakistan Asia Cup continues to doubt, but the team remains quiet. On Tuesday evening in Dubai, the players canceled their planned press conference before their last group A match against the VAE.
One of the squadron members would face the media on the ICC Academy before training, but the perser was suddenly canceled.
Team sources told PTI that the relocation was to ‘avoid’ questions about the possible withdrawal threat. With the Pakistan Cricket Board to make a final call, no player was willing to face the press.
The boycott threat came after PCB had demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. Pakistan accused the Zimbabwean officer of instructing Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Salam Ali Agha to not shake hands with the pitch for their Asia Cup collision with India.
But late on Monday evening, ICC shot the request. “Pycroft will not be removed and their plea has been rejected,” an ICC source told PTI.
Despite the objection, Pycroft will agree against the VAE on Wednesday. However, reports suggest that PCB is still investigating whether Richie Richardson can intervene for that game.
Why pulling it out is unlikely
While Pakistan threatened to withdraw, insiders believe that the board will have trouble continuing. PCB can run away around inr 141 crore costs of ACCs income share.
“Can Naqvi run the risk that Pakistan loses around USD 16 million from a projected budget of USD 227 million? That will be around seven percent of the annual income,” explained a PCB source.
There is also broadcasting pressure. Without Pakistan, two more high-voltage matches in India-Pakistan would be lost, causing both viewers and income to hurt. With Mohsin Naqvi who served both PCB and ACCHIEF, the play would only get stronger.
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