DUBAI (Kashmir English): Pakistan will face India in the next round of the Asia Cup on Sunday after last week’s group-stage match between the two sides ended in bitterness when the Indian team refused to shake hands.
Pakistan and India could meet for a third time at the Asia Cup if they both reach the September 28 final.
Pakistan beat United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their final Group A game on Wednesday to advance to the Super-Four stage, where they will play two teams from Group B in a round robin format.
There is no bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan since 2013, and both nations play each other only in multi-team tournaments.
India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets last weekend in the first cricket match between the sides since a four-day military conflict between the nuclear-rivals in May.
While the match itself passed without a trouble, there was no shaking of hands between the captains at the toss or among the players at the end of the game.
The Pakistan Cricket Board called for match referee Andy Pycroft’s immediate removal for a code of conduct “violation” and considered withdrawing from the event midway before going ahead with Wednesday’s match.
The PCB alleged that Pycroft told Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav, before the match.
The matter was settled after the PCB said that Pycroft had apologised to the manager and captain of the Green Shirts over a controversy during the recent Pakistan-India match.
Asia Cup final
Pakistan and India could meet for a third time at the Asia Cup tournament if they both reach the September 28 final.
