Asia Cup 2025: Group A Super 4 Qualification Scenarios Explained
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said they might pull out of their next Asia Cup 2025 Group A match against the United Arab Emirates if the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the tournament. This comes after a controversy when the Indian team did not shake hands with the Pakistani players after their match on Sunday. According to reports on Monday, the ICC is not likely to listen to PCB’s threats and seems to have already made its decision clear.
After the match, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and his team did not shake hands with the Pakistani players and closed their dressing room door, stopping the usual greetings. Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha and coach Mike Hesson were unhappy with this and Agha even skipped the post-match ceremony, avoiding former Indian player Sanjay Manjrekar.
The PCB’s threat to pull out of their match against the UAE could have big consequences. If Pakistan goes ahead with the boycott, they would be automatically out of the Asia Cup. They would also be left with just two points from their only win against Oman. This would fall short of what’s needed to reach the Super 4s stage, since India and the UAE would have more points.
India have already qualified for the next stage after the UAE beat Oman by 42 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. India lead Group A with four points from two matches, while Pakistan are second with two points. The UAE also have two points but a much lower net run rate. If Pakistan boycott their match, the UAE would get a walkover and move to four points ensuring both India and the UAE reach the Super 4s. Oman, on the other hand, have been eliminated.
If Pakistan do play against the UAE, the match will decide who joins India in the Super 4s stage. The result will determine which team advances. Everything now depends on how the ICC responds to Pakistan’s demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft, who is set to officiate the match against the UAE.
Asia Cup 2025 – Super 4 Qualification Scenarios (Group A)
Current Standings:
India: 4 points (2 matches) – Qualified
Pakistan: 2 points (2 matches)
UAE: 2 points (2 matches)
Oman: 0 points (2 matches) – Eliminated
Qualification Scenarios:
Scenario | Match Status | Points Outcome | Super 4 Qualifiers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pakistan boycotts UAE match | UAE awarded walkover → 4 points | India & UAE | Both India & UAE reach Super 4. Pakistan eliminated. |
2 | Pakistan plays UAE match | Winner gets 2 points → 4 points | India + match winner (Pakistan or UAE) | Super 4 spot decided by result of Pakistan vs UAE. |
3 | Pakistan vs UAE ends in tie/no result | Both teams get 1 point → Pakistan 3, UAE 3 | India + higher net run rate (Pakistan or UAE) | Net run rate decides who joins India. |
4 | Oman matches | Already lost both matches | 0 points | Oman eliminated from Super 4 contention. |
