Asia Cup 2025: PCB chairperson Mohsin Naqvi avoids question on skipping press conferences, gives cryptic response

The Pakistan cricket team did not face the media for the second time in a row during Asia Cup 2025 as they snubbed the pre-match press conference ahead of the Super Four clash against India. Pakistan had previously cancelled the same before the group-stage clash against hosts UAE. There repeated avoidance of the media has become a subject of speculation.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi did not offer much on the matter when he was spotted and questioned by media while exiting from Pakistan's net session at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Saturday. However, he fueled discussions with a cryptic remark on being repeatedly asked the same question, as he smiled and said "we'll talk soon".

Pakistan had called off their press conference on the eve of their final group-stage clash against United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, September 17 amid speculations of withdrawing from the tournament in wake of the PCB's clash with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the no-handshake saga in the India-Pakistan match.

The ICC has already rejected the PCB's request of removing match referee Andy Pycroft from the continental tournament twice after finding no wrongdoing in his act of informing the players before the toss to not shake hands. The global cricketing body has also objected to Pakistan's decision of recording and making public the video of a meeting involving Pakistan captain, coach and team manager and Pycroft, as it violates the Players and Match Officials Areas (PMOA) protocol.

Naqvi was present in the team's training session on Saturday. and was spotted talking to the players. After that, Naqvi was seen in an intensely animated conversation with head coach Mike Hesson. 

Pakistan are scheduled to take on India in the Super Four stage in Dubai on September 21. Their only defeat in the tournament has come against their arch-rivals at the same venue, where they were defeated by seven wickets and 25 deliveries to spare.