To understand the scale of the chaos surrounding Pakistan's final Group A fixture against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, it was necessary to follow events in three different locations at once.
At the team hotel, where players remained uncertain until the last minute whether they would even board the bus. At the Dubai International Stadium, where the UAE squad warmed up, unsure if there would be a match. And in Lahore, where the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) leadership held tense meetings that threatened to boycott the tournament altogether.
The Asia Cup, meant to celebrate cricket's fiercest rivalries, has so far been consumed less by on-field exploits and more by political undertones and boardroom manoeuvres. Wednesday's drama only reinforced that impression, with Pakistan nearly pulling out over the presence of match referee Andy Pycroft.
The controversy began days earlier during Pakistan's clash with India. The customary handshake between captains was abandoned at the toss, and Indian players declined to offer hands after sealing a comfortable win. Pakistan argued that Pycroft had advised against handshakes, a decision they claimed undermined the Spirit of Cricket and breached the ICC's code of conduct.
The PCB demanded Pycroft's removal for the crucial fixture against UAE. The ICC refused. That stand-off set the stage for a day when cricket became hostage to politics.
By late afternoon on match day, the Pakistan squad had still not left their hotel. Scheduled to depart at 4.30pm, players remained inside as speculation mounted about a boycott. In Dubai, UAE players completed warm-ups while waiting for confirmation. Meanwhile, in Lahore, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi consulted former board heads Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, further fuelling speculation that drastic action was on the table.
The uncertainty turned into a national spectacle. Television channels followed the Pakistan team bus live when it finally departed close to 6pm, a police escort clearing traffic to rush players to the ground. At the stadium, the situation remained unresolved until shortly before the 7pm toss, when the PCB issued a statement claiming Pycroft had apologised for a "miscommunication." Only then was the game confirmed to start, one hour late.
By then, the prelude had already stolen the spotlight. The delayed toss, muted statements, and hurried warm-ups were all overshadowed by the intrigue of whether Pakistan would play at all.
When action finally began, Pakistan's batting faltered early. Saim Ayub fell second ball, while Sahibzada Farhan added only five. Fakhar Zaman's fluent 50 off 36 balls and a spirited late cameo from Shaheen Shah Afridi lifted the total to 146 for nine.
The bowlers then asserted control. Abrar Ahmed claimed 2 for 13, while Shaheen and Haris Rauf chipped in with disciplined spells. The UAE were bundled out for 105 in 17.4 overs, Rahul Chopra's run-a-ball 35 providing brief resistance. A 41-run win booked Pakistan's passage into the Super Four.
Yet, despite the margin of victory, post-match discussions centred more on Pycroft's apology than on Zaman's sixes or Shaheen's yorkers. Even players' comments revolved around expectations for the rematch against India, rather than reflections on the UAE contest.
The result ensures another instalment of cricket's most politically charged rivalry. The first meeting, which India won convincingly, was quickly overshadowed by the handshake row. The rematch now looms against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny, with administrators urging calm but fans braced for further fireworks both on and off the field.
Naqvi, who also serves as Asian Cricket Council president, attempted to strike a conciliatory note. "Politics and cricket shouldn't be mixed. Leave cricket as a sport," he said. But the week's events demonstrated how inseparable the two often become.
For the Asia Cup, the story so far has been less about cover drives, yorkers and collapses than about handshake controversy, cancelled press conferences, late-night board statements and speculation of walkouts. Pakistan's victory over the UAE set up the blockbuster rematch with India, yet it was the off-field turbulence that defined the day.
