Hours before their Asia Cup Super Four meeting with India, Pakistan again walked away from the microphones. The team cancelled its scheduled press conference in Dubai on Saturday, with no explanation offered.

The move came as the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Andy Pycroft would stay on as match referee. The Zimbabwean official was at the centre of Pakistan’s complaint over the handshake row in last week’s India game. An internal inquiry cleared him. The ICC has since refused to bow to pressure.

“The integrity of a match official should not be questioned once he has been cleared,” an ICC source in Dubai said.

It is not the first time Pakistan have bristled. Before their fixture against the UAE, the team also skipped a media briefing after learning Pycroft would officiate. That match started an hour late, with both sides giving different versions of what was said in a behind-closed-doors meeting.

Why the silence now? Officials have not said. What complicates matters is that the PCB itself released a video earlier this week claiming Pycroft had expressed regret. Yet it continues to push for his removal.

For the ICC, the line is simple. Pycroft will oversee all games in Dubai. Richie Richardson of the West Indies will take charge in Abu Dhabi. Appointments for the September 28 final will be announced later.

Pycroft is hardly new to the job. He has stood in more than 530 international matches, including over 100 featuring Pakistan. Critics in Lahore point to his long record with India, but the numbers show he has been equally present in England and Pakistan games too.

As India and Pakistan prepare for another high-stakes contest, the off-field row is once again in the headlines. For Pakistan, missing another press call only fuels the perception of a team still unsettled. For the ICC, it is a test of authority. And for the thousands heading into the Dubai stadium tonight, it is yet another reminder that this rivalry is never just about bat and ball.