The Asia Cup 2025 has been generating headlines for both its cricket matches and associated controversies. A major issue unfolded during the group stage match between India and Pakistan. The Indian team’s players refrained from shaking hands with the Pakistani team. This action had knock-on effects, including a delay in the Pakistan-UAE match. The Pakistan Cricket Board is also facing allegations of failing to adhere to tournament protocols. In light of these events, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has made a significant announcement.
In an effort to alleviate the tension stemming from the high-profile India-Pakistan match at the Asia Cup 2025, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has decided to take a firm step. The ACC has released new guidelines for journalists, instructing them to avoid political questioning during press conferences. This directive is aimed at fostering a calmer environment between India and Pakistan. The press conference held after the handshake controversy last Sunday witnessed Indian journalists posing challenging questions, which put the ACC’s media department in an uncomfortable position.
Before the press conference with Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav, scheduled before the Oman match, an ACC media officer requested that Indian journalists avoid any questions of a political nature. The ACC’s media department is under scrutiny for its handling of the situation. The situation was exacerbated when UAE captain Muhammad Waseem was persistently questioned about the delay in the Pakistan team’s arrival at a match earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, an ICC senior member questioned the actions of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The member questioned why the Pakistani team did not attend the press conference, which is a mandatory part of the schedule, while they were participating in a practice session. The press conference was scheduled before the match between Pakistan and the UAE, but the Pakistani team did not participate.