Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar slammed the Pakistan team management for skipping the pre-match press conference ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four game against India in Dubai. This game will be played on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Pakistan has canceled its pre-match press conference for the second time in a row, having already done so before their last game against the UAE.
The Salman Agha-led squad has been under intense pressure following their seven-wicket loss to India in the group stage, and the skipper has avoided speaking to the media. However, Sunil Gavaskar believes that their choice to ignore the news conference again could result in punishment from the Asian Cricket Council.
“I don’t know what the thinking behind that is, but as far as I know, press conferences are mandatory. If teams don’t hold them, I’m not sure what the penalties are—if any—but in today’s world, it’s important for the media to be involved and kept informed. It’s still essential to maintain open communication with the media. Instead of relying on ‘sources’ or speculation, it’s always better for teams to convey their point of view directly. Perhaps Pakistan feels they have nothing to share, which, frankly, isn’t surprising,” Gavaskar told India Today.
Gavaskar also urged that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) deduct the Pakistan team's tournament points for failing to attend the press conference going forward.
“Yes, Mohsin Naqvi is the head of the ACC, but there is an organization under him that includes India, Sri Lanka, and other participating and non-participating member nations—that collectively forms the Asian Cricket Council. As far as I know, there’s a governing committee within the ACC for tournaments like this, and they’ll likely want to understand what’s going on. If there is something in the rulebook stating that attending press conferences is mandatory, then perhaps going forward, if a team fails to comply, a point could be deducted from their table. That might be a viable way forward,” he added.
Pakistan has also employed sports psychologist Dr. Raheel Kareem to improve the team's morale before the important match. Pakistan's morale is low following their humiliating defeat to India and the no-handshake issue that erupted during the match.
