Asia Cup 2025: Why did Pakistan not boycott UAE clash despite threatening to do so?

When Pakistan stayed put in its team hotel before its Asia Cup match against the United Arab Emirates, it seemed plausible that it would go ahead with its threat of pulling out of the tournament.

Until an hour before the scheduled start of the contest, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, Salman Agha’s men were yet to leave for the venue over its demand for match referee Andy Pycroft to be removed.

Eventually, however, Pakistan’s players and support staff made their way into the stadium despite Pycroft staying on in his officiating role.

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To justify the late decision to participate in proceedings, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that the 69-year-old had apologised for prohibiting captains Agha and Suryakumar Yadav from shaking hands at the time of the toss in Sunday’s encounter against India.

Even though Pakistan’s initial demand to remove Pycroft from the remainder of the tournament was not met, the fact that it did not pull out was likely due to the serious financial ramifications it would have faced for the withdrawal.

As per estimates, the PCB could have had to let go of revenue anywhere between USD 10 million and USD 15 million in the case of withdrawal from the tournament.

In November last year, Sony Pictures Networks India (Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited) won the media rights for the Asia Cup for the 2024-31 cycle for a base price of USD 170 million.

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With four men’s events likely to take place during this window, it amounts to roughly USD 42.5 million per tournament.

With the five full-member nations entitled to 15 per cent of the total revenue pool — also comprising sponsorships and ticketing among other aspects — each, it is safe to say Pakistan’s projected earnings for this year would have taken a massive hit.

Besides, the risk of financial sanctions from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), owing to pressure from the broadcaster and other member boards, loomed large.

Published on Sep 18, 2025