Asia Cup No Handshake Row: Pakistan Suffer ICC Setback Over India Match Referee 'Request'

In a big setback to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council has rejected its request to remove match referee, Andy Pycroft, over his actions in the 'no handshake controversy' during the Asia Cup 2025 match against India. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), had sought urgent removal of Pycroft over his 'no handshake' message to Pakistan captain Salman Agha during the toss in the India match.

"The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup," Naqvi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won't be removed and their plea has been rejected," an ICC source told news agency PTI.

The 69-year-old Zimbabwean is due to officiate Pakistan's final group stage game against the UAE on Wednesday.

Pakistan team manager Naved Cheema had also filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council alleging that it was on Pycroft's insistence that team sheets weren't exchanged between the two skippers on Sunday as is the norm.

Pycroft is one of the senior-most match referees in ICC Elite Panel with 695 international games to his credit (men and women across three formats).

It is reliably learnt that the situation arose due to PCB's Director of Cricket Operations Usman Walha, who didn't apprise his own skipper about the rules and regulations that are to be followed during the tournament.

It is learnt that an irate PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the current chairman of the Asian Cricket Council, ordered the sacking of Walha on Monday for the embarrassment caused to the national cricket team and its captain.

According to well-placed sources, it was Walha's duty to inform Salman about the "No Handshake" policy but he didn't do so and the Pakistan skipper was apparently blind-sided.

The PCB had wanted Pycroft to be removed from the entire tournament but now it would be interesting to see if they continue playing after the ICC, headed by India's Jay Shah, summarily rejected their demand.

It is understood that PCB is trying to work out a respectable solution by which Pycroft doesn't officiate in their matches.

One proposal given by the PCB is to have Richie Richardson stand in its match against the UAE on Wednesday but whether that would happen or not is the big question.

Pakistan To Pull Out Of Asia Cup?

It was also reported that the PCB has threatened to boycott their next game, against the UAE on September 17, if Pycroft was not removed from the referee panel over the no-handshake controversy. The pull-out threat was reported by Pakistan media, but did not surface in any official PCB channel. 

It is yet to be ascertained what step the PCB now plans to take as the request for Pycroft's removal has been rejected by the top cricket body.

Pakistan, with just one win in two matches, have to beat UAE in their next match if they are to qualify for Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 stage. If Pakistan do manage to beat UAE, they will also qualify for the next stage and face India on Sunday. 

With PTI Inputs

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Board International Cricket Council Asia Cup 2025 Cricket