High-Stakes India vs Pakistan Clash Looms: BCCI’s Rajeev Shukla Backs India for Super 4 Victory
DUBAI, September 21, 2025: The cricketing world’s focus shifts to Dubai this Sunday as arch-rivals India and Pakistan prepare for a high-voltage Super Four clash in the Asia Cup 2025. The match is set against a backdrop of recent on and off-field tensions, adding a layer of intensity to the contest.
Expressing strong confidence in the Indian squad, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla predicted a positive outcome for the Men in Blue. “India will win the match,” Shukla told ANI.
India enters the fixture with psychological momentum, having secured a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the group stage. In that encounter, India comfortably chased down a target of 128 runs, thanks to a dominant bowling performance. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav was named Player of the Match for his figures of 3/18, which helped restrict Pakistan to 127/9.
The previous match was notably followed by a breach of traditional cricketing etiquette. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube departed without the customary handshake with the Pakistani team. Television broadcasts also showed the Indian team closing their dressing room door. Yadav later dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces and expressed solidarity with the victims of the April Pahalgam terror attack.
The post-match drama continued as the Pakistani team skipped the official presentation. Coach Mike Hesson faced the media instead of captain Salman Agha. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) subsequently lodged a formal complaint against match referee David Pycroft, alleging violations of the ICC Code of Conduct and the spirit of cricket laws.
Tensions escalated further when Pakistan cancelled a pre-match press conference ahead of their following game and remained sequestered in their hotel. The PCB had even threatened to withdraw from the tournament if Pycroft was not replaced. The situation was defused after a delayed start and a meeting between Pycroft and Pakistani team officials, after which Pakistan played and won their match to qualify for the Super Fours.
Reports indicated that Pycroft had been informed of a pre-arranged ‘no handshake’ protocol by the ACC venue manager minutes before the toss and was merely relaying the message, not initiating it. The PCB later released a statement claiming Pycroft had apologized, though the ICC considered issuing its own clarification.
These off-field incidents are expected to fuel the competitive fire for both sides. While India will look to continue its aggressive brand of cricket, a motivated Pakistani team, known for its unpredictability in T20Is, will be aiming to channel recent events into a stronger on-field performance.