PCB Alleges Match Referee Andy Pycroft Apologized for No-Handshake Directive in India-Pakistan Clash
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday asserted that match referee Andy Pycroft expressed regret for his handling of the Asia Cup Group A clash between India and Pakistan, where players from both sides skipped the customary post-match handshakes. The game unfolded against a tense backdrop following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Despite PCB’s efforts to have Pycroft sidelined as referee for their subsequent match against the UAE, the ICC dismissed the pleas, finding no grounds to replace the veteran official.
The PCB further stated that the ICC has indicated willingness to examine a potential violation of the Code of Conduct from the India-Pakistan encounter at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. This update emerged amid a one-hour delay in the Pakistan-UAE game.
“ICC’s controversial match referee Andy Pycroft has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistani cricket team. Andy Pycroft had prohibited the captains of both teams from shaking hands during the India-Pakistan match,” read the PCB’s official statement.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board had strongly reacted to Andy Pycroft’s action. Andy Pycroft termed the incident on September 14 as a result of miscommunication and apologised. The ICC has expressed its readiness to investigate the violation of the Code of Conduct during the match on September 14,” the statement continued.
In the Group A fixture, no handshakes occurred between the Indian and Pakistani players. At the toss, captains Suryakumar and Salman Agha kept their distance and avoided eye contact, escalating into a controversy that irked the PCB.
PCB’s Formal Complaints to ICC
The PCB sent two letters to the ICC, demanding Pycroft’s exclusion from officiating the rest of the eight-team event. The international body rejected both requests outright.
The drama persisted when the Pakistan team arrived late to the stadium for their Wednesday clash against the UAE, sparking reports of a possible tournament withdrawal. It was later clarified that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had consulted with Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, leading to a one-hour postponement of the match start. Pakistan ultimately confirmed their participation in the game.
On Tuesday, the team had abruptly canceled a planned pre-match press conference, though they proceeded with their training session, scrapping the media interaction at the last moment.