, Sept. 17 -- For much of Wednesday, no one was sure if Pakistan would even show up for their Asia Cup fixture against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai.

By the time the team bus finally pulled out of the hotel, the game had already been delayed an hour, and a bizarre standoff over a handshake row had turned into the biggest story of the tournament.

The drama began after Pakistan's defeat to India on September 14. Indian players refused to shake hands with their rivals, a gesture they linked to the recent border flare-up in Pahalgam.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claimed match referee Andy Pycroft had mishandled the situation, even accusing him of asking captain Salman Ali Agha not to press the issue at the toss.

PCB chairman Mohsi...