Hyderabad: The equation in the race to the Super 4 has become an interesting one in Group B as Pakistan will meet Afghanistan on Wednesday in the league stage at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The contest is expected to be a thrilling one as it is a do-or-die situation for both teams. But, more than the match, Pakistan has grabbed all the eyeballs with the possibility of them boycotting the match. India skipping the customary toss and post-match handshake has spiralled into a huge issue, and Pakistan has threatened to boycott the match.
Pakistan and the UAE have two points each with one victory and one loss. Pakistan beat Oman by 93 runs but were humbled by seven wickets in the match against India. UAE suffered a loss against India by nine wickets, and they emerged triumphant in the contest against Oman by 42 runs. Now, it will be a must-win clash for both teams to enter the Super 4.
Head-to-head records
Both teams have played three T20Is between them, and Pakistan have won all the encounters. Pakistan have an edge over their opponent in the head-to-head records and are looking favourites to win the match on Wednesday as well.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is expected to aid spinners as the nature of the surface is slow, and so it grips. Pakistan has the highest score of 160 in the Asia Cup matches played at the venue, which they scored against Oman. The par score is 150 at the venue.
Why Pakistan might boycott the contest and what happens if they do so?
After the Indian team skipped the customary post-match handshake against Pakistan, the latter asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to remove Andy Pyrcroft from the panel of match officials as he was the match referee during the India-Pakistan clash. Also, they threatened to boycott the encounter against UAE. Notably, the team skipped the pre-match press conference, which further triggered the discussions around the team boycotting the match.
If Pakistan boycotts, it will be considered a walkover, and the UAE will get two points for the same. With four points in the group stage, they will advance to the Super 4, while Pakistan will remain stranded at two points.