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Pakistan-Pycroft meeting ends impasse as UAE match goes ahead after delay

The Pakistan-UAE match day followed a similar script to match eve, with the Pakistan team remaining at their hotel until as late as 5:30pm local time. Despite the toss being scheduled for 6:00pm, the players had kit bags packed and were ready to leave, but were instructed to wait until further notice.

The team finally left the hotel around 5:45pm, minutes after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi tweeted that the squad had been asked to head to the Dubai International Stadium. The match was delayed by an hour due to heavy evening traffic and last-minute security cordons.

Andy Pycroft, who was reportedly in the stadium by 5:00pm, later officiated Pakistan's match against the UAE. In the aftermath, the PCB released a video and a press note revealing that Pycroft had deemed the September 14 handshake controversy a case of "miscommunication" and issued an apology.

Pycroft was joined by Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, coach Mike Hesson, and team manager Naveed Cheema in a meeting at the Dubai International Stadium. The ICC expressed readiness to investigate the violation of the Code of Conduct during the match on September 14.