The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a strong protest with the International Cricket Council (ICC), demanding the immediate removal of veteran match referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup after a controversial episode involving missed handshakes between Pakistan and India.
The incident unfolded during Saturday’s high-voltage clash in Dubai when customary pre- and post-match handshakes were skipped, sparking a storm both on and off the field. At the toss, Pakistan’s stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha did not shake hands with India’s skipper Suryakumar Yadav, a move the PCB claims was influenced by Pycroft. Later, after India sealed a convincing win, their players walked straight off the ground without exchanging handshakes with the Pakistani side. Agha also skipped the post-match presentation.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), condemned the episode, calling it a blatant violation of cricket’s spirit and sportsmanship. “The match referee is supposed to uphold the game’s values, not diminish them,” Naqvi said in a statement, urging the ICC to replace Pycroft for the remainder of the tournament.
The PCB cited breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC’s Laws of Cricket, both of which emphasize the importance of fair play and mutual respect. According to the board, Pycroft not only failed to prevent unsportsmanlike conduct but allegedly directed players to avoid handshakes at the toss, further fueling tensions.
The controversy comes against a backdrop of already heightened political strain between the two nations following recent cross-border incidents. Cricket watchers say the seemingly small gesture of skipping handshakes has taken on outsized significance given the history of Indo-Pak rivalries.
Reports suggest the PCB has hinted at reconsidering Pakistan’s continued participation in the Asia Cup if their demand is ignored. That possibility, if realized, would throw the tournament into turmoil, especially given Pakistan’s dual role as both participant and host through the ACC.
As of Monday, the ICC has yet to issue an official response, and Pycroft himself has remained silent. The board’s request, however, has placed the governing body in a tricky spot, caught between the letter of the law and the political sensitivities of world cricket’s most intense rivalry.
