The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand to replace match referee Andy Pycroft during the ongoing Asia Cup. This decision was formally communicated after a significant controversy erupted regarding a pre-match incident.
The dispute began when the PCB expressed its dissatisfaction over Pycroft’s alleged involvement in a pre-match interaction. They claimed that Pycroft instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, during the toss. This accusation fueled a heated debate.
However, the ICC has since clarified the situation through an official letter. It was revealed that it was actually officials from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) present on the ground who communicated the no-handshake policy at the toss to Pycroft. This explanation directly contradicts Pakistan’s initial belief that Pycroft was acting under Indian influence, thereby absolving the match referee of the specific instruction alleged by the PCB.
Adding to the tension, the Indian team chose not to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after securing a decisive seven-wicket victory. Following their winning runs, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube promptly returned to the dugout to celebrate with their teammates. The Pakistan team, along with coach Mike Hesson, attempted to engage in the customary post-match handshakes but found the dressing room door closed.
In the aftermath of these events, the PCB formally questioned Pycroft’s conduct and lodged an official complaint with the ICC. Mohsin Naqvi, the current ACC chief and PCB president, publicly confirmed the decision to appeal to the global cricket body.
In their detailed letter, the PCB stated, “It is alarming to note that an ICC-appointed and supposedly neutral match referee opted to indulge in conduct, which clearly violates the Spirit of Cricket and MCC Laws.” They further argued that “The match referee failed to discharge his responsibility: to ensure that respect was extended and maintained amongst the captains as well as between the two competing sides; and to create a positive atmosphere by his conduct and encourage the captains and participating teams to do likewise.”
The PCB emphasized that “the Match Referee’s instructions to the two team captains were entirely directed towards achieving the opposite result. This misconduct violates Article 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Match Officials, which specifically makes it an offence for the Match Referee to conduct himself in a manner, which is contrary to the spirit of game and violates the MCC Laws.” Concluding their complaint, Pakistan highlighted the severe implications: “Given the gravity, political nature/background, and far-reaching consequences and repercussions, the misconduct has also caused disrepute to the game.”